Bhubaneswar:
Thirty three tribal students from Bonda hills in Malkangiri district of Odisha took admission in the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) for higher education.
KISS, claimed to be the largest free residential institute of the world exclusively for tribal students, granted them admission at the request of the state government, under the supervision of Malkanagiri district administration, an institute release said today.
The students met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at his secretariat yesterday. Mr Patnaik congratulated the students and praised KISS for giving them the opportunity for higher education, it said.
Bonda tribe is regarded as one of the oldest and educationally lagging tribes in the country. The students belong to Khairiput, Bilasanipada, Padeiguda and Mudulipada of Bondaghati area.
In the first phase, out of 33 students, who have all passed 10th Board examinations, 16 boys and five girls reached KISS campus yesterday. The remaining students would reach soon.
The students would study +2 courses in Arts, Science or Commerce, the release said.