Rani Laxmi Bai Kendras are ringing in a quiet revolution for young college-going women in Rajasthan. An initiative of the Department of Higher Education, the kendras are transforming government colleges into centres of self-confidence, resilience, leadership, and awareness.
Beyond self-defence, these centres equip women with knowledge, skills, and self-belief to help them navigate life with confidence and dignity. Lessons are imparted on personality development, legal rights awareness, career counselling, and vocational training designed to empower women to be mentally resilient and financially independent.
The higher education department works in collaboration with the police department for implementation of the training programme. Trained women police personnel conduct self-defence sessions for enrolled students. Each batch consists of about 45 to 40 participants, which enables focused learning and hands-on practice.
The programme revolves around a structured four-week training model. The curriculum includes practical self-defence techniques, awareness about women’s legal rights and safety laws, emergency health preparedness, and sessions on personal safety and cybersecurity.
Before joining the programme, Chetna Jogi, a B Sc student of Government Veerbala Kalibai Girls’ College in Dungarpur, saw self-defence as only learning a few physical techniques but training at Rani Laxmi Bai Kendra changed her perspective.
“Training at Rani Laxmibai Kendra transformed my fear into confidence and gave me the strength to move independently. Earlier, I had to depend on my father or brother when I moved out of the house due to fears of eve-teasing. But practical self-defence tools and the sessions on legal rights, safety laws, and helplines have unlocked in me an inner power.
The supportive female trainers and open discussions empowered me and helped me believe in myself,” said Chetna, who comes from a modest family living in a predominantly tribal belt.
Her experience demonstrates how the programme strengthens not only physical preparedness but also emotional resilience and self-confidence.
Designed as a mechanism for comprehensive empowerment, the programme addresses multiple dimensions of personality development. One of the programme’s most crucial contributions is in enhancing ‘safety awareness’. Along with self-defence techniques, students are sensitised to personal safety, cybersecurity, emergency response, and preventive measures.
This approach prepares them to recognise risks, respond appropriately, and seek help through legal and institutional mechanisms. The programme became a joyful journey for Ridhika Kanwar Bhati, a first year BSc student from a government college in Chittorgarh.
“The self-defence programme at Government Girls College in Chittorgarh boosted my confidence, awareness, and physical strength through practical techniques and empowering activities. We were taught practical self-defence techniques such as upper punch, middle punch, lower punch and side blockage, which are useful in real-life situations,” said Ridhika. “Along with martial training, yoga and meditation sessions helped in improving concentration,” she said.
During the first phase, the initiative was implemented in 34 government girls’ colleges at district headquarters, in which nearly 3,500 students underwent training. The programme expanded in the second phase to 314 colleges at block level, benefiting 15,000 women. The next phase aims to extend the programme to another 150 colleges, with a target of reaching over 25,000 girl students.