Cuttack: Ravenshaw University, one of Odisha’s oldest and most prestigious institutions, has withdrawn an order that restricted women faculty, staff, and students from staying on campus after 5.30 PM. The order sparked immediate outrage and was rolled back within hours.
The directive, issued by the university registrar, had stated:
“No female faculty, staff and students are permitted to remain in the workplace or on campus after 5.30 PM… until a formal Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) is issued.”
Sources say the order may have been issued as a reaction to a recent suicide case involving alleged sexual harassment at a different college in Odisha.
However, the state higher education department intervened, warning that such a rule could send the wrong message about women’s freedom and safety. Following this, the order was officially withdrawn by the university through a second notification.
When contacted, the registrar declined to elaborate, stating only that the “order stands withdrawn.”
A Storied Institution
Ravenshaw University, founded in 1868 as an intermediate school at the present-day Ravenshaw Collegiate School, was upgraded to a degree college in 1876. It became a full-fledged university in 2006. Named after Thomas Edward Ravenshaw, a British officer who oversaw Odisha in the late 1800s, the university holds historical and academic significance across the state.
Government Responds on Safety
Meanwhile, the Odisha government has directed all departments and institutions to strictly enforce the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
In a letter to all government departments, collectors, and heads of institutions, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja stressed the need to ensure a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace, particularly for women.
The government’s call follows rising concerns about women’s safety on campuses and in workplaces across the state.
- Ravenshaw’s order banning women on campus after 5.30 PM withdrawn after criticism
- Order followed a reported student suicide linked to harassment at another college
- State government intervened, calling the order inappropriate
- Odisha govt reaffirms commitment to enforcing the POSH Act, 2013
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#RavenshawUniversity #WomensSafety #OdishaNews #POSHAct #CampusNews #CuttackNews #HigherEducation #StudentRights #GenderEquality #Ravenshaw #OdishaGovernment #WomenEmpowerment
