3.5 lakh lack uniforms, books a year late in Odisha schools as half of Samagra Shiksha funds lie idle: CAG

Over 3.51 lakh students in Odisha went without uniforms they were entitled to, another 1.73 lakh were denied bicycles meant to keep them in school, and textbooks reached classrooms more than a year late – all while the state government left half its education budget unspent, a performance audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed.

Annual utilisation of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan funds (SSA) also remained between 44% and 50%.

The CAG report, covering a period from 2018 to 2023, exposes a system in crisis – nearly half of Odisha’s primary and upper primary schools are short-staffed, Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at secondary and higher secondary levels declining even as it rose nationally, nearly 90% of higher secondary schools struggling with adverse pupil-teacher ratio, and up to 44% schools lacking Children with special needs (CwSN)-friendly toilets.

While the transition rate from secondary to higher secondary fell between 2018-19 and 2022-23, out-of-school children were not entirely mainstreamed as mandated by the Right to Education Act.

The CAG report on Odisha school education was tabled in the state legislative assembly on December 9, 2025.

Teacher-pupil ratio, CwSN services

The staffing crisis was most severe in higher secondary levels where 527 schools (89%) face adverse pupil-teacher ratios. At primary level, 21,958 schools (48%) are short-staffed, while 10,022 upper primary schools (43%) and 896 secondary schools (10%) struggle with similar shortages.

Adverse Student-Classroom Ratios (SCR) were found in 12% primary schools, 24% upper primary schools, 42% secondary schools and 57% higher secondary schools. In sampled schools, 46% had adverse SCR, 23% used one classroom for multiple classes and 43% had students sitting on the floor due to lack of furniture.

Between 13% and 26% of schools lacked ramps, and between 31% and 44% did not have CwSN-friendly toilets. Of 16,410 eligible children with special needs, 380 did not receive transport and escort allowances due to funds being transferred to dormant or incorrect bank accounts. Another 311 who needed assistive devices were not provided with them despite 1,458 being identified as requiring such support.

No textbooks, uniforms: Shortfalls in funds, entitlements

Basic entitlements meant to support education and prevent school dropouts were routinely delayed or denied. Savings in the School and Mass Education Department declined from 18% in 2021-22 to 5% in 2022-23, with overall savings of 12% during 2018-23.

In sampled schools, uniform distribution was delayed by up to 520 days, while textbook distribution took up to 417 days. In 46 sampled schools, 4,249 students did not receive textbooks at all.

Bicycle incentives were not provided to 1.73 lakh students statewide and 1,671 students in sampled schools. Vocational education was introduced in 646 schools against the target of 877, and 113 schools lacked functional vocational laboratories.

Odisha School Education: CAG recommendations

The CAG has outlined several recommendations to address structural weaknesses in Odisha’s school education system. Key among them is increasing the state’s education budget to tackle teacher shortages and fill infrastructure gaps across all levels. The CAG also stressed that the state needs to ensure all allocated funds, including those under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, are fully utilised and not left unspent year after year.

The CAG also recommended conducting household-level surveys to establish accurate enrolment and population figures. This would help in assessing GER and NER as well as student transition patterns.

Teacher shortages need to be addressed systematically by maintaining appropriate pupil-teacher ratios and rationalising teacher deployment according to actual enrolment, the CAG pointed out in its report. It also calls for better support for children with special needs, including CwSN-friendly facilities and timely delivery of allowances and assistive devices.

On infrastructure, it recommended stricter monitoring to ensure school construction projects are completed on time and meet RTE norms. Updating the State Curriculum Framework to align with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is also highlighted, along with improving vocational education through adequate instructors, functional labs, and a wider range of subjects.

Finally, the report suggests setting clear deadlines for textbook supply and holding printing and distribution agencies accountable for delays. Strengthening monitoring at both state and district levels, including more frequent school inspections and closer review of Samagra Shiksha implementation, is recommended.