Odisha govt seeks 24-hour compliance on ICs against harassment in universities, colleges

Bhubaneswar: In the wake of a self-immolation attempt by a female student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, the Odisha Higher Education Department has issued an urgent directive to all colleges and universities across the state to ensure immediate compliance with legal requirements for constituting Internal Committees (IC) under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

 The letter calls for action within 24 hours from all public and private universities, as well as government, aided, and unaided degree colleges under the Higher Education Department.

Key Directives from Higher Education Department:

Constitute ICs Immediately: All institutions must submit compliance confirming the formation of Internal Committees, in strict adherence to Section 4 of the Act. The committees must include women members and external representatives, as per UGC regulations.

Publicly Display IC Details: The names and contact numbers of IC members must be displayed prominently on campus and uploaded to the HIMS portal.

Organize Sensitisation Workshops: Institutions must immediately hold awareness workshops on the Sexual Harassment Act for both students and faculty.

Photo Evidence Required: A geo-tagged photo of the IC display location must be uploaded to a specified Google Drive link for monitoring.

The department has emphasized the matter as “Most Urgent” and warned institutions to ensure complete compliance without delay.

Separate Directive Issued by Regional Directorate of Education, Bhubaneswar

In a related development, the Regional Directorate of Education (RDE), Bhubaneswar, has issued a strong directive to all affiliated colleges under its jurisdiction, reinforcing the need for urgent steps to ensure student safety and prevent incidents of sexual harassment on campuses.

This separate instruction comes amid widespread public outrage over the alleged mishandling of the student’s earlier complaints.

RDE’s Mandated Measures:

Mandatory Activation of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) and Anti-Sexual Harassment Cells in every college.

24×7 Campus Surveillance with functioning CCTV systems and formation of in-house monitoring squads.

Strict Adherence to UGC Guidelines on handling cases of sexual harassment.

Regional Director of Education, Bhubaneswar, has emphasized a policy of zero tolerance, stating: “Any type of laxity in this regard by whosoever shall be brought to book immediately.”

The directive warns of severe consequences for any institutional negligence or failure to act, stressing the need for a proactive, preventive approach to avoid future crises.

These coordinated actions from the Higher Education Department and the RDE highlight the Odisha government’s intensified efforts to strengthen accountability and student safety infrastructure across its higher educational institutions.