The P.G Department of Odia at Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University (formerly known as North Odisha University) was opened on 24 August 2012 as a self-financing department. In the first year, out of 30 available seats, 26 students enrolled in the course, including 21 female students and 5 male students. In 2014, the intake capacity of the department was increased from 30 to 60 seats. In 2016, the departmental wall magazine “Bhanjashree” was established. The self-financing department continued to function in the main campus until 31 May 2024.

In 2017, a regular Department of Odia was opened at the second campus of the University in Keonjhar. The academic programme at the Keonjhar campus started from 10 August 2017. The department at Keonjhar continued as a regular department until 31 May 2024. After the teachers of the second campus joined the main campus at Baripada on 1 June 2024, the department at the main campus was transformed from a self-financing department into a regular department. After becoming a regular department, the student intake capacity was increased to 50.

The M.Phil. programme in the Odia Department of the University had been running as a self-financing arrangement since 2008. After the opening of the regular department at the University’s second campus in 2017, the M.Phil. programme was continued there. In the year 2009, the Pre-Ph.D. Course Work in Odia was introduced at the University as per the guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC). At present, more than a hundred researchers have been awarded research degrees from the department.