Odisha has introduced a major higher education initiative with the launch of the Videsh Siksha Bruti scheme, designed to support meritorious SC and ST students in pursuing postgraduate and PhD studies at top global universities. Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj inaugurated the scheme in Bhubaneswar, confirming that it will be implemented from the 2025–26 academic year.

Under the scheme, eligibility is restricted to SC and ST students whose annual family income is up to ₹12 lakh and who have secured admission into PG or PhD programmes at universities ranked within the Top 200 of the QS World University Rankings. Applications will be accepted twice a year, during July–August and December–January cycles.

A total of 50 students will be selected annually for scholarships. These include 10 candidates (four PG and six PhD) from engineering and technical streams, 10 (four PG and six PhD) from medical, agriculture, architecture, and allied technical fields, and 30 students (10 PG and 20 PhD) from general higher education disciplines. Each selected student will receive up to ₹25 lakh per year to support tuition and living expenses abroad.

At the launch event, the minister also distributed appointment letters to 34 candidates selected for Group C and D posts across aided colleges under rehabilitation assistance. Additionally, the Odisha State Higher Education Council (OSHEC) received copyright authority to conduct Academic Performance Audits (APA) of all higher education institutions in the state, making Odisha the first in India to implement such an academic assessment system.