Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has made it mandatory for all higher educational institutions across the state to constitute Internal Committees under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act), warning that non-compliance could lead to loss of recognition and academic restrictions.
In a directive issued by the Higher Education Department on April 16, universities, degree colleges, and teacher education institutions were asked to strictly implement provisions of the Act. Institutions failing to establish functional Internal Committees may face serious consequences, including denial of admission permissions and withholding of examination approvals.
The order specifies that colleges admitting students through the Student Academic Management System (SAMS) will not be allowed to conduct admissions unless they have a duly constituted committee. Similarly, universities without such bodies may be barred from holding examinations.
Institutions have also been directed to submit annual reports of their Internal Committees to the respective Local Complaints Committees (LCCs), with copies to be shared with Regional Directors of Education (RDEs).
The government has outlined a series of safety and compliance measures that institutions must implement. These include ensuring adequate lighting across campuses, installing CCTV cameras in common areas while respecting privacy norms, eliminating isolated or unsafe zones, deploying sufficient security personnel, and maintaining visitor logs.
Additionally, institutions must provide safe and hygienic facilities for women, including secure hostel arrangements, accessible complaint mechanisms, and effective emergency response systems. Details of the Internal Committee, complaint procedures, and helpline numbers must be prominently displayed on notice boards and institutional websites.
Regional Directors of Education have been tasked with ensuring strict monitoring and full compliance. All institutions have been instructed to submit compliance reports to the Higher Education Department at the earliest.
