Bhubaneswar: To enhance academic support for students, especially in remote areas, Nityananda Gond, Minister of School and Mass Education (S&ME), inaugurated the Free Online Academic Support Programme. The virtual launch was attended by Raghuram R. Iyer, Director of Higher Secondary Education, and was aimed at benefiting students from government and government-aided higher secondary schools across Odisha.
Addressing students virtually, Minister Gond highlighted the program’s importance in preparing students for competitive and entrance examinations, particularly for those pursuing higher education. “This initiative will be a great help to all students, especially those in remote areas, to succeed in competitive exams and entrance tests for higher studies,” he said. The program is entirely free of charge and aims to build students’ confidence in answering more questions in a limited time.
A total of 82,700 students who recently enrolled in the academic year 2024-25 have already joined the programme online. It will focus on preparing students for exams like IPMAT/JIPMAT, CUET, CLAT, NDA, NIFT, and others, offering lessons in subjects such as English, General Knowledge, Mathematics, Reasoning, and Quantitative Aptitude. Experienced teachers will conduct online classes from Monday to Thursday between 2 PM and 3:30 PM. Every 15 days, an examination will be held on Fridays using OMR sheets or computers, and the results will be uploaded to the SAMS portal.
Principals are responsible for updating students’ attendance and contact information on the SAMS portal, as well as assigning nodal officers and mentor teachers for the program. This initiative aims to prepare students for future job opportunities and higher education, enabling more students, especially from rural and tribal areas, to pursue vocational education and employment.