BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government will appoint distinguished female professionals as ‘Shakti Apas’ in every district across the state to promote safety, empowerment and overall well-being of girl students in higher educational institutions (HEIs).
The Shakti Apas will be appointed under the Shaktishree initiative, a safety and empowerment programme launched by the state government in June last year for female students in higher education.
Issuing a communication to the colleges concerned, Higher Education secretary Aravind Agrawal said appointment of the Shakti Apas will be done through nodal officers of 30 degree colleges identified at the district level.
“Each district will nominate five distinguished female professionals as Shakti Apa, though the number can be increased by the collector to a maximum of 10, depending on the geographical area of the district, to ensure wider coverage and effective implementation of the initiative,” he said.
As per the selection criteria, distinguished female professionals with a minimum 15 years of work experience in their respective fields will be prioritised in the nomination process. Women entrepreneurs and industry professionals with experience in leadership, skill development and women’s empowerment initiatives can also be nominated.
Eligible candidates may include women social workers working in women’s safety and child protection, and retired women government employees, preferably from the police, armed forces and legal and cyber security experts. Public health experts and psychological counsellors with expertise in women health and psychosocial counselling, as well as educational experts such as university student welfare coordinators, principals, senior academicians and reputed educationists may also be considered.
Each ‘Shakti Apa’ will visit her designated higher educational institution or institutions once every three months. The respective HEIs will bear the travel and daily allowance for such visits as honorarium to the Shakti Apas. After each visit, they will submit a report to the nodal college under their jurisdiction.
The Higher Education secretary said the initiative envisages Shakti Apas to function as external facilitators for Shaktishree Empowerment Cells. Through regular interaction, mentoring and outreach, they will help bridge institutional gaps and strengthen a culture of safety, awareness and self-confidence among young women pursuing higher education.
DHE sources said Angul, Balasore, Bargarh, Deogarh, Kalahandi, Khurda, Keonjhar and Rayagada districts have already submitted nominations of Shakti Apas in their jurisdictions.
Guiding lights for girl students
Female professionals with a min 15 yrs work experience will be prioritised
Eligible candidates to include social workers, retd police, army personnel, public health experts
Women entrepreneurs will leadership, skill devpt experience to also be considered
They will serve as role models, mentors and resource persons for girl students of HEIs
They will visit their designated HEIs once every three months to submit report