Access and Participation Statement

The University has campuses across different locations in Odisha which are mostly beyond the city limit thereby providing a conducive environment for study and safety. The University encourages women applicants and it pays special attention to the courses where their representation is inadequate. Women’s participation in such courses is ensured by counselling them by a specialized team of career counsellors. The University offers special bursaries, and scholarships (Chandrika) for studying in such unconventional courses. The University has various tie-ups and through its banking partners, educational loan is offered to the students. The University has a dedicated woman`s mentoring scheme which assures:

1. Overall academic health of the student,
2. Taking action on the area where the student has limitations by understanding the difficulties faced and connecting it to the faculty concerned.
3. Form a close loop information network between parents, faculty and mentor
4. Aid the student in decision-making in choosing his/her desired career path.
5. Understanding the emotions of a student and preparing the student appropriately.

Further to this the overall health of a student is important for their all-round development. The Community Diagnostic Centre regularly conducts free health check-ups for all the students. Women students are educated on safe menstrual hygiene through one of the programmes called

P.A.C.E. The University has placed sanitary pads at every strategic location. The crèche facility is available to women employees and students. The safety of the women students is ensured by an exclusive all-female hostel inside the campus. The hostels are supervised by trained female wardens. The University’s working hours are scheduled in a way to suits the convenience and safety of women employees and students. The work-life balance is maintained through weekly holidays besides vacation and adherence to public holidays. The University reaches out to the community to impart skill training to the school or college dropout girls. Besides this, these girls are given an opportunity to join academic education through the National Institute of Open Schooling programme.

The University is committed to admitting, recruiting, retaining and promoting talented women and it is ensured and substantiated by the University’s adherence to the following legislations and constitutional directives;

1. Article 14 of the Constitution of India enshrines the right to equality and it also corroborates the ‘Rule of Law’.
2. Article 17 of the Constitution of India which delineates prevention of untouchability.
3. Article 19(1) of the Constitution of India which enshrines freedom of speech and expression.
4. Article 21 of the Constitution of India which enshrines protection of life and personal liberty.
5. Article 23 and 24 which enshrines the right against exploitation.
6. Retaining the unconstitutionality of Section 497 of IPC which had criminalized adultery and it had treated women as sexual chattel of men.
7. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
8. Article 39a and Article 39d; which ensures egalitarianism between men and women in all terms including income.
9. Article 42 of Directive Principle of State Policy; which ensures just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief.

These provisions of the Constitution of India are aligned with the following SDGs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 8,10, 13 and 16.

What University do to enable women to access and participate?

The implementation of the above statement is undertaken through several mechanisms and examples:

1. Allowing women to be part of top leadership: The University`s top three cardinal position holders: The Vice Chancellor, The Registrar and The Controller of Examination are women besides several Deans and the Head of the Department.
2. Women primus inter pares men: All women employees are paid equally as men for the same designation.
3. General scholarship: All women students studying at the University are entitled to scholarships. A dedicated scholarship cell works for this purpose under the supervision of Dean Academics.
4. Special scholarship: All the girl students studying unconventional courses are provided with additional benefits like a percent waiver in tuition fees, and scholarships like Chandrika.
5. Women`s mentoring scheme
6. Open door policy: The University has mechanisms to redress grievances through established committees. The grievances and suggestion boxes are kept at all strategic locations.
7. University`s social entrepreneurial outreach: These organizations constantly endeavour to reach out to the community with a prime focus on girls. Their aim is to up-skill the drop-outs and enable them to get placed or to entrepreneurship.