Odisha Education Reform 2025: HS School, Plus II College Heads to get Advanced Training at IIM-A

The initiative to send headmasters and principals of Higher Secondary (HS) schools and Plus II colleges of the Odisha Board to IIM Ahmedabad for advanced training, being rolled out in phases, focused on improving academic quality, enhancing school governance, and reducing student dropout rates in government institutions.

With the aim of bringing about a transformation in school education, the Odisha Government has launched a major education reform by sending headmasters and principals of Higher Secondary (HS) schools and Plus II colleges to the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad for advanced training. The initiative, being rolled out in phases, is focused on improving academic quality, enhancing school governance, and reducing student dropout rates in government institutions.

More than 100 school heads have already completed a five-day training session. The next batch of 50 principals is scheduled to begin training on June 9, 2025.

IIM Ahmedabad Training: Key Focus Areas

The training programme is designed to address several core areas:

• Institutional leadership and strategic planning
• Digital education and innovative teaching practices
• Student attendance and engagement
• Library and infrastructure management
• Implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

The objective is to modernise school and college administration and make Odisha’s government institutions more competitive with private educational setups.

High Dropout Rates Trigger Urgent Need for Reform

The reform comes at a time when dropout rates in government schools are a growing concern. This year, over 43,000 Class 10 students and 11,000 Class 12 students who had filled exam forms did not appear for their final exams. The training initiative is a response to these figures, aiming to rebuild public trust and student confidence in the government school system.

Principals who attended the first phase of training praised the programme. One principal described it as “worldclass, highly relevant, and urgently needed,” adding that the training gave them practical tools to manage schools more effectively.

Odisha’s Minister of School and Mass Education reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reform. He emphasized that the next focus will be on implementing the training outcomes at the ground level.

Saroj Senapati, a college principal from Kamardha, said, “This is a great initiative by the Odisha Government. It’s a new beginning that aligns with the National Education Policy. We got to learn how advanced education systems function.”

Education Experts Applaud the Move

Experts in the education sector have welcomed the reform. They believe that empowering institutional heads with leadership and management skills is a crucial step in addressing systemic issues in public education. However, they also stress that the real challenge lies in translating the training into long-term, on-ground impact.

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