Bhubaneswar: The State Higher Education Department has issued a stern directive to government and government-aided colleges across the state, expressing concern over the slow implementation of self-defence club activities for the 2025–26 academic session.
Although funds had been sanctioned and disbursed through the Student Academic Management System (SAMS) accounts months ago, many institutions are yet to effectively carry out the training programmes on the ground, department under-secretary Smrutimayee Rout noted.
Departmental review found that only a limited number of colleges have uploaded details of their activities, raising concerns about delays as the financial year approaches its close.
Reiterating the importance of timely execution and financial accountability, the department has set clear deadlines— March 31 as completion of all self-defence training sessions and workshops and April 30 as the final date for submission of Utilisation Certificates (UCs) and activity reports through the HIMS portal.
The letter emphasised that adherence to these timelines is ‘non-negotiable’, warning institutions against treating the initiative as a mere procedural formality.
The self-defence club initiative forms a key part of the state government’s efforts to enhance campus safety, particularly for girl students.
The programme aims to equip students with practical self-defence skills while fostering mental resilience and confidence.
The initiative is structured around three major components—practical training, forming the basic martial arts techniques, escape strategies, and emergency response drills.
The second component is awareness sessions about information on legal rights, personal safety measures, and situational awareness. The third in line is confidence building, which is about interactive sessions to reduce vulnerability and encourage leadership qualities among students.
In order to ensure transparency and prevent misuse of funds, colleges have been directed to upload comprehensive documentation on the HIMS portal.
College principals have been instructed to treat the matter with ‘top priority’.
The department warned that failure to submit UC within the stipulated timeframe may affect future funding allocations and could invite administrative scrutiny.
The HE department reiterated that the objective of the initiative is not merely compliance on paper, but the creation of a safer and more empowered campus environment for students across Odisha.