Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has launched robotic laboratories in 807 government schools across the state.
The labs were developed at a cost of about Rs 164.33 crore.
Graphic: News Anek, from the facts in this report
The launch took place on Thursday, November 12.
Majhi opened the labs while inaugurating a three-day children's festival called Surabh-2026.
More than 2,500 meritorious students from across Odisha are taking part in the festival.
Key points
- Robotic labs launched in 807 government schools
- Cost is about Rs 164.33 crore
- New free Nipun App launched for primary students
- 375 individuals and institutions honoured for 2024 and 2025
Why do these robotic labs matter for students?
Robotic labs give students hands-on practice with technology.
Many children in government schools may not have had this kind of learning before.
The state has put the labs in 807 schools at one time. That is a large step for government schools in Odisha.
What is the Nipun App?
The Nipun App is a free educational platform that works on Android phones.
It is made to strengthen basic learning for primary school students.
The Chief Minister launched the app during the same festival.
It aims at the foundation stage of learning, which is the base for all later classes.
What did the Chief Minister tell students?
Majhi also gave awards to teachers, students and schools.
A total of 375 individuals and institutions were honoured for 2024 and 2025.
The incentive amount under the scheme is nearly Rs 139 crore.
He also spoke about the choices students face today.
He said skills, rather than degrees, are the real guarantee of a livelihood.
He asked students to check whether information is true.
He also advised them to use mobile phones mainly for study, not entertainment.
Explainer
What happened before
- The state-level Mukhyamantri Shiksha Puraskar covers awards for the years 2024 and 2025.
- Mohan Charan Majhi started his professional journey as a teacher.
Why it matters
Students in government schools will get access to robotics and new learning tools, and the state is also rewarding teachers and schools.
What to watch next
- The sources do not say when all 807 labs will start running or how they will be managed.
