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The Hindu
19-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Under attack from Opposition, BJP govt. in Odisha launches ‘Shaktishree' for safety of girls in colleges
Under attack from the Opposition over the death of a girl, who set herself on fire on the campus of her college in Balasore over alleged sexual harassment, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi-led government in Odisha on Saturday announced a special programme, Shaktishree, to ensure safety of girls in institutes of higher education in the State. 'The State government has decided to launch a programme to ensure the safety and security of girl students in colleges and universities. This initiative is in response to the rise in crimes against girl students in recent days across institutions of higher education. This new scheme aims to prevent such incidents and keep students safe. This initiative is named Shaktishree Programme,' the Chief Minister said in Bhubaneswar. This programme will be implemented across all 16 universities and 730 government and government-aided colleges under the the Higher Education Department of the State. Shaktishree, based on eight different key components, will help ensure a safe academic environment in colleges and universities and to provide self-defence training to undergraduate and postgraduate girl students, the government said. The announcement comes after a 20-year-old Odisha college student, who set herself ablaze on the campus following alleged sexual harassment by a professor of her college, died of injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. As per reports, despite lodging a formal complaint and seeking help from the principal, her pleas were ignored, leading to the tragic incident. Student-run cells The State government proposed to set up a permanent 'Shaktishree Empowerment Cell' in every college and university, which will be operated by girl students. 'Each cell will be managed by a girl student designated as Shaktishree Saathi and a woman faculty member as Shaktishree Sanyojika (coordinator). Additionally, five working women designated as Shakti Appa (sister), nominated by the district collector, will function as mentors. These Shakti Appas will visit the institutions every three months and act as mentors to the girl students,' said Mr. Majhi. The cell will organise a six-day training programme in batches for girl students on self-defence, legal rights, and mental health. Mobile app to raise complaints A Shaktishree mobile app will also be made available to students. This is expected to spread awareness of Internal Complaints Committees (ICC), their rules and functions, and contact details of members. Moreover, it will help a girl to confidentially report complaints via text, audio, or video, which will directly reach the ICC chairperson of her institution. If a student feels her issue is not resolved by the ICC, she can escalate it to the local committee. A detailed standard operating procedure will soon be issued by the Higher Education Department. The government has also recommended for a code of conduct for teachers and non-teaching staff, who will be required to complete an annual online training module to enhance awareness of women's safety, gender sensitivity, and professional ethics. A campaign named SAFE (Shaktishree Actions for Female Empowerment) will be launched to raise awareness on gender equality and women's empowerment. It will include bi-annual self-defence camps and awareness workshops on women's rights and safety. This will boost the self-confidence of girl students and help foster a secure academic environment. Moreover, each college will submit an annual Campus Safety Report by December 31 every year. The government will bring all colleges and universities under CCTV surveillance with a separate control room for surveillance.
India Today
15-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Odisha to grant 11.25% education quota to socially, educationally backward groups
In a major policy move, the Odisha government on Wednesday approved a proposal to provide 11.25 percent reservation in educational institutions for the state's Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs). The decision, taken by the Mohan Majhi-led Cabinet, is set to benefit 231 communities across the marks the first time Odisha has introduced a quota for SEBCs in the education sector. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, announcing the Cabinet's decision, described it as a 'landmark step' aimed at granting backward classes their constitutional stated that the move aligns with the Union government's commitment to social justice and reflects the vision of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas." The Chief Minister added that the decision was in line with the National Education Policy 2020, aiming to improve access and inclusion in higher DETAILS Currently, SEBCs make up an estimated 54 percent of Odisha's population but had no quota in education until do, however, have an 11.25 percent reservation in public employment. The new quota will be implemented in all state public universities and government and aided institutions offering higher secondary, undergraduate, and postgraduate reservation will now be uniformly applied as follows: Scheduled Tribes (22.5%), Scheduled Castes (16.25%), SEBCs (11.25%), along with 5 percent for persons with disabilities and 1 percent for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had earlier urged the state government in 2019 and 2020 to introduce such a Minister Majhi also criticised the previous BJD government, saying it had failed to act on earlier proposals to grant SEBCs educational implementation of this reservation policy is expected to take effect immediately.
