Bhubaneswar- In a major step toward ensuring the safety and empowerment of girl students, the Odisha government has unveiled a comprehensive programme titled ‘Shaktishree’, to be implemented across all state-run universities and colleges.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced the initiative in the wake of a tragic incident involving a girl student from FM College in Balasore, who reportedly attempted self-immolation following alleged harassment by a faculty member. The incident has sparked widespread concern over the safety of women on academic campuses.
The Shaktishree programme will cover all 16 universities and 730 government and aided colleges under the Higher Education Department. The initiative is designed with eight core components: the establishment of a Shaktishree Empowerment Cell, a dedicated mobile app, a new code of conduct for faculty, the SAFE campaign, annual campus safety reports, CCTV surveillance, an online awareness course, and the Shakti Swarupuni mentorship initiative.
According to the Chief Minister, every college and university will set up a permanent Shaktishree Empowerment Cell, led by the students themselves. Each cell will have a designated ‘Shaktishree Sathi’ (a girl student) and a ‘Shaktishree Coordinator’ (a woman faculty member). Additionally, the district Collector will appoint five accomplished working women as ‘Shakti Apa’ to act as mentors, guiding and supporting the female students.
To enhance communication and quick response, the government will introduce the Shaktishree mobile app. This app will offer students direct access to Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) details and allow them to lodge complaints through text, audio, or video messages. An SOS feature will enable immediate help in emergencies. The app will also provide access to expert advice for mental well-being, including support for anxiety and stress management.
In a significant policy shift, a dedicated code of conduct will be introduced for both teaching and non-teaching staff in all higher education institutions to promote professional and respectful behavior on campus.
As part of the SAFE (Shaktishree Actions for Female Empowerment) campaign, colleges will conduct regular self-defence training sessions and gender sensitivity workshops. To reinforce campus security, the government will require institutions to submit annual reports on safety practices and install CCTV cameras for continuous monitoring.
With this ambitious programme, the Odisha government aims to foster a safer, more supportive educational environment for young women while addressing gender-based concerns through structured empowerment and proactive surveillance.
