Odisha Refunds ₹69.23 Crore in College Admission Fees to 1,11,678 Students; Check Bank Credit

The Odisha Higher Education Department has refunded ₹69.23 crore in admission fees to 1,11,678 undergraduate students for the 2026–27 academic session under the Gyanodaya – Shiksha Ru Samruddhi scheme. Students should check the bank account listed in their Common Application Form (CAF) to confirm whether the refund has been credited. The refund covers fees paid during the first phase of undergraduate admissions, which concluded before the state's KG to PG Free Education scheme took effect. The department announced the refund and issued instructions for students to verify their bank credits on October 28, 2026. Students whose refunds have not arrived because of incorrect bank details or failed transactions have been told that a dedicated correction facility will be made available through the Student Academic Management System (SAMS) student login. The current activation status of the facility should be checked on the official portal.

Odisha College Admission Fee Refund 2026: Key Details

The refund was initiated because students had paid admission fees before the new free-education arrangement was implemented. The Higher Education Department subsequently transferred the reported amount directly to student bank accounts. [Source: PTI-based report and departmental announcement coverage.]

How to Check the Odisha Admission Fee Refund

Students who paid admission fees during the first phase of undergraduate admissions can follow these steps to verify whether the refund has arrived:

1. Open the official SAMS Odisha website.
2. Check the bank account details entered in your Common Application Form (CAF).
3. Review the account statement or transaction history for a refund credit.
4. If the amount is missing, verify that the account details originally submitted were correct.
5. Visit the SAMS student login periodically for official instructions about pending refunds and the bank-detail correction facility.

These steps help students check their own bank transactions. They do not establish that an individual refund has been approved or processed successfully.

What If the Gyanodaya Refund Has Not Been Credited?

Students who have not received their refund should not assume that they are ineligible or that the payment has been permanently rejected. The department's announcement, as reported on October 28, stated that a dedicated link would be made available through the SAMS student login to correct bank details when an incorrect account or failed transaction had prevented payment.

Students awaiting the refund should:

• Check the bank account provided in the CAF.
• Recheck the account details they originally submitted.
• Monitor the official SAMS Odisha portal for the correction facility.
• Follow the department's instructions when the facility becomes available.
• Avoid entering banking information on unofficial websites or sharing banking credentials with unknown individuals.

Important: No refund deadline or confirmed activation date for the correction link has been established in the information verified for this report.

What Is the Gyanodaya – Shiksha Ru Samruddhi Scheme?

Gyanodaya – Shiksha Ru Samruddhi, also called KG to PG Free Education, is Odisha's free-education initiative for eligible students from the 2026–27 academic session. The scheme covers eligible regular undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at state public universities, government colleges and government-aided colleges. Its implementation followed the admission process, which meant that some students had already paid fees before the new arrangement took effect. The department's subsequent refund process addressed those earlier payments.

Who Is Eligible for the Scheme?

Eligibility depends on the applicable scheme guidelines, the institution, the course and the student's admission status. Operational guidelines reported in August 2026 specify that the scheme covers regular UG and PG studies at eligible state public universities and government and government-aided colleges. They also identify exclusions, including self-financing and certain professional courses, private unaided higher-education institutions, institutions operating under public-private partnership arrangements, and distance, open and correspondence modes. The guidelines also specify admission or readmission through SAMS and a minimum 75% marks requirement. Students should consult the applicable official guidelines to establish their eligibility rather than assuming that every college student or course is covered.

Important Official Link

Students can visit the official SAMS Odisha portal to check for updates and instructions relating to the admission-fee refund. Before submitting or correcting bank details, students should confirm that the facility is available through the official portal and follow the instructions issued by the department.