Bhubaneswar, July 17: In response to the tragic death of a student at Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, the School and Mass Education Department of Odisha has issued a sweeping directive aimed at strengthening safety and gender equity measures across all educational institutions in the state, officials said on Thursday.

School & Mass Education Secretary Shalini Pandit instructed all District Education Officers-cum-District Programme Coordinators (DEO-cum-DPCs) to urgently implement comprehensive safeguards for women employees and girl students.

The directive emphasizes strict compliance with the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

Institutions are required to regularly review and reconstitute Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) to ensure timely redressal of grievances. The directive also calls for the creation of safe, inclusive, and supportive environments in schools, with a focus on the physical, mental, and socio-emotional well-being of girl students.

A key component of the directive is the mandatory rollout of the BARNALI (Gender Equity Programme) in all elementary and secondary schools. Integrated with the Social Studies curriculum, BARNALI aims to promote gender-sensitive attitudes and eliminate gender-based violence through education.

To enhance accessibility to support services, all schools, hostels, and workplaces must prominently display helpline numbers, including:

- Women Helpline – 181

- Child Helpline – 1098

- Police Helpline (ERSS) – 112

- School Student Helpline – 18003456722

A government-approved design for these displays has been circulated and must be implemented immediately.

The directive reflects the state’s commitment to ensuring safety and dignity for all students and staff, especially in the wake of recent events that have raised serious concerns about institutional accountability and student welfare.

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