Over 3.51 lakh students in Odisha lacked uniforms, and 1.73 lakh were denied bicycles. Textbooks reached classrooms more than a year late, according to a performance audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). The report, tabled in the state legislative assembly on December 9, 2025 , revealed the state government left half its education budget unspent between 2018 and 2023.
Annual utilization of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) funds remained between 44% and 50% during the audit period. This underutilization contributed to widespread failures in the state’s school education system.
Systemic Shortcomings Exposed
The CAG report highlighted significant issues across Odisha’s schools. Nearly half of primary and upper primary schools faced teacher shortages. Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at secondary and higher secondary levels declined, contrary to national trends.
A severe staffing crisis affected higher secondary levels, where 527 schools (89%) had adverse pupil-teacher ratios. At the primary level, 21,958 schools (48%) were short-staffed. Upper primary schools saw 10,022 (43%) with shortages, and 896 secondary schools (10%) faced similar issues.
Student-Classroom Ratios (SCR) were also adverse: 12% in primary schools, 24% in upper primary, 42% in secondary, and 57% in 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 a lack of furniture.
Denied Entitlements and Infrastructure Gaps
Basic entitlements meant to support students were often delayed or denied. Uniform distribution was delayed by up to 520 days in sampled schools. Textbook distribution took up to 417 days . In 46 sampled schools, 4,249 students received no textbooks at all.
Statewide, 1.73 lakh students did not receive bicycle incentives. Vocational education was introduced in only 646 schools against a target of 877. Furthermore, 113 schools lacked functional vocational laboratories.
Infrastructure gaps persisted, particularly for children with special needs (CwSN). Between 13% and 26% of schools lacked ramps. Between 31% and 44% did not have CwSN-friendly toilets. Of 16,410 eligible CwSN, 380 did not receive transport and escort allowances due to incorrect bank accounts. Another 311 requiring assistive devices were not provided them, despite 1,458 identified needs.
CAG Recommendations for Reform
The CAG outlined several recommendations to improve Odisha’s school education system. It urged the state to increase its education budget to address teacher shortages and infrastructure deficits across all levels. The report stressed the need to ensure all allocated funds, including SSA funds, are fully utilized annually.
Other key recommendations include:
- Conducting household-level surveys to establish accurate enrolment and population figures.
- Systematically addressing teacher shortages by maintaining appropriate pupil-teacher ratios and rationalizing deployment.
- Improving support for CwSN, including friendly facilities and timely delivery of allowances and assistive devices.
- Stricter monitoring for timely completion of school construction projects, ensuring RTE norms are met.
- Updating the State Curriculum Framework to align with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
- Improving vocational education through adequate instructors, functional laboratories, and a wider range of subjects.
- Setting clear deadlines for textbook supply and holding printing and distribution agencies accountable for delays.
- Strengthening monitoring at state and district levels through frequent school inspections and closer review of Samagra Shiksha implementation.