Bhubaneswar: Amid growing concerns over the rising cases of violence against women and students, Odisha Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj on Friday revealed that as many as 19 complaints of sexual harassment have been filed by female students at colleges and universities under the department in the past year.
The minister shared this information while responding to a query by BJD MLA Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo in the assembly. These complaints include one filed by the late BEd student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore, against her faculty member and HoD Samir Kumar Sahu. The female student, who had committed self-immolation on the college campus on July 12, succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar on July 14.
Besides this case, 18 other complaints of sexual harassment have been filed at various government-owned higher educational institutions across the state in the past year. Two complaints each have been registered at BJB (Autonomous) College, Utkal University, and RD Women’s University in Bhubaneswar, Government (Autonomous) College in Rourkela, and Choudwar College in Cuttack. Several other colleges throughout the state have also received sexual harassment complaints during this period.
In his reply to another question concerning harassment complaints filed by female students, the Higher Education Minister stated that, based on information received from 17 universities under the Odisha Higher Education department, women students have lodged 20 complaints since June 12, 2024. These complaints encompass sexual and mental harassment, verbal and physical abuse, and concerns over lack of safety in hostels.
According to the minister, two major universities—Ravenshaw University in Cuttack and Utkal University in Bhubaneswar—have received the highest number of complaints related to various forms of harassment since June 2024.
Meanwhile, School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gand revealed in the assembly that a total of 32 cases of girl student harassment have been registered across nine districts of Odisha. Kandhamal district recorded the highest number of cases with 11, followed by Sundargarh with four cases, as stated in a written reply.
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https://www.freepressjournal.in/education/odisha-sees-rising-cases-of-sexual-harassment-against-female-students-19-complaints-filed-so-far
