The Odisha Government has launched 'Chatra Protsahan Yojana (CPY)' to launch free Medical and Engineering coaching. Under the Yojana, the Govt will provide free coaching to SC/ ST students across the state for engineering and medical entrance examinations.

To provide free education, the ST and SC Development Department of State government will organize 07 Centres of Excellence in SC and ST schools across the state. These Centres will provide free education to 320 students every year. The Centres will also work towards encouraging the students of Higher Secondary Schools for Higher Education.

The main objective of the scheme is to recognize and foster the potential ST/ SC students from a young age for higher education in Engineering and Medical streams, notified the govt.

The students will be shortlisted on the basis of merit in Class 10. A Selection Test of the shortlisted candidates will also be conducted.

Every year, over 30,000 ST/SC students attempt the annual Higher Secondary School Examination.

The Govt has also signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Coaching Agencies which has been shortlisted for this programme. These agencies will provide in-house Engineering and Medical coaching and preparatory training to the shortlisted ST/SC students in the proposed Centres.

During the inauguration event of the scheme, Dr Amar Patnaik, MP in Rajya Sabha, distributed 200 tablets from the MPLAD funds to the students selected for the programme.