Bhubaneswar, July 18: Days after the tragic death of a female student from FM College in Balasore, who allegedly self-immolated over sexual harassment, the Odisha government issued an urgent directive to all higher education institutions to prominently display the Women Helpline Number --181-- across campuses, officials said on Friday.

The Higher Education Department, in a letter sent to registrars and heads of universities, government colleges, aided colleges, and private institutions, emphasized that the directive must be treated as “extremely urgent.” The move is aimed at ensuring that students, especially women, have immediate access to support in cases of harassment or distress.

The State government also instructed all institutions to strictly adhere to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 — commonly known as the POSH Act — and to follow the guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Colleges and universities have been asked to organize awareness workshops to educate students and staff about their rights and the mechanisms available for redressal.

This decision comes amid growing public outrage and demands for accountability following the death of the 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore. The incident has sparked widespread concern over the safety and well-being of women in educational institutions.

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