Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Khurda have been envisaged as pace-setting institutions, centres of educational excellence, providing opportunities for development, not only to Navodaya students, but also to the children of neighbouring rural area schools through sharing of resources. Leadership qualities and other educational concerns that are linked to community and national developments are also supposed to be inculcated through pace-setting activities. “The aim of the pace-setting activities is to galvanize the academic, social, cultural and community oriented environment of schools,” in the vicinity. By virtue of having a highly qualified and competent team of teachers, good laboratories and IT infrastructure, teaching aids and sports equipment and rich libraries, JNVs are in a position to function as a “focal point for improvement in the quality of school education in general, through sharing of experience and facilities”. Interactions of staff and students of Navodaya Vidyalayas with their counterparts in adjoining schools, participation in joint community efforts, adoption of a village for awareness programmes and sharing of educational facilities are some of the pace-setting activities undertaken by Navodaya Vidyalaya. JNV, Khurda also make general attempts to involve the local school community in disseminating the modern school practices with a view to improve school eco-system.

Under Pace setting activities the children of Vidyalaya participated in District level observations like National Sports day, Independence day, Republic day, Yoga science and exhibition camp, vigilance awareness week , run for unity , Road safety week etc. Also school organized campaigning on literacy women empowerment and Aids awareness etc in the nearby villages.