Odisha Tackles +2 Science Seat Vacancies with New Odia Textbooks

Odisha recently introduced +2 Science textbooks which are now available entirely in the Odia medium, for the first time ever. The Institute of Odia Studies and Research (IOSR) rolled out this initiative, making sure that language no longer stands between students from rural and regional backgrounds and their academic dreams. This change kicks in from the current academic session, reaching roughly two lakh students across the state. It gives young people a shot at pursuing medical and engineering careers in their own language.

The shift transforms core science subjects at the higher secondary level. Dedicated Odia-medium textbooks have been meticulously crafted for Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics, sticking closely to the syllabus set by the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) Odisha. These new textbooks are already circulating. The state government has started distributing them to libraries in nearly 700 higher secondary schools, spread across all districts through District Education Officers. So, students from both government and private colleges will find these books ready for use.

For years, there’s been a stumbling block—science students moving up from Odia-medium high schools had to wrestle with English-only textbooks, often struggling with comprehension. This move also lines up with national-level entrance exams like the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), which are already administered in the Odia language.

To make the rollout smooth, IOSR has set up district-level training and orientation sessions for higher secondary principals and science lecturers, helping them bring this Odia curriculum into classrooms seamlessly. And to cut down on reliance on commercial coaching centers, the institute is offering chapter-wise video classes in Odia for all four science subjects, completely free. As the Student Academic Management System (SAMS) enrollment portal opened on May 26, Class XI students now have the option to officially choose Odia-medium science as their main academic stream.