Centre has taken initiative to provide the avenues of higher education in remote districts.  NITI Aayog has identified 117 districts as ‘Aspirational Districts’. Now, under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), central assistance is provided for opening of new Model Degree Colleges(MDCs) in Aspirational Districts identified by NITI Aayog. Priority is given to underserved districts in North Eastern and Himalayan States. The Project Approval Board (PAB) of RUSA has approved central support for one MDC each in 70 such districts including 6 in Odisha.

An Expert Committee constituted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) had identified 374 Educationally Backward Districts (EBDs) where Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education was less than the national average of 12.4% based on 2001 census data. 

During the first phase of RUSA, central assistance to States has been provided for creation of one Model Degree College each in 60 EBDs including 8 in Odisha. 

The central support provided under the component of new MDCs is infrastructural in nature in which funds are released for creation of Colleges with requisite infrastructure including class rooms, library, laboratory, faculty rooms, toilet blocks and other essential requirements for technologically advanced facilities. The Minister of State for HRD, Dr. Satya Pal Singh elaborated the government initiative in the Lok Sabha.