Bhubaneswar: CM Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday launched the ShaktiShree mobile application, enabling girl students in higher education institutions (HEI) to register complaints related to harassment.Announced last year as part of state govt’s ShaktiShree initiative, the app aims to strengthen support systems for female students by enhancing safety, accessibility and empowerment within higher education institutions.Launching the app during a two-day national workshop on the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020 here, the chief minister said education is not limited to textbooks but forms the foundation of progress and innovation. He reiterated the govt’s vision of transforming Odisha into a leading knowledge hub of the country and ensuring students are equipped to compete globally.Majhi also released the Internship Guidelines Book, a key document aimed at integrating academic learning with real-world exposure. The guidelines seek to make students industry-ready by promoting internships, community engagement and skill-based learning, which are the key principles of the NEP framework.Emphasising education as the govt’s top priority, Majhi said the state allocated Rs 41,273 crore for the education sector in the 2025-26 financial year. The investment, he said, would strengthen educational infrastructure and secure a brighter future for Odisha’s youth.To bridge the rural-urban education divide, the govt launched the Godabarisha Mishra Adarsha Vidyalaya scheme, under which modern schools will be established in all 6,794 gram panchayats across the state at an estimated cost of Rs 12,000 crore.Speaking on the occasion, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said NEP-2020 is not merely a policy but a national mission to position India as a global knowledge capital. Praising Odisha’s blend of culture and education, he stressed the importance of skill development and innovation in shaping the future workforce.Pradhan said nearly 70% of Odisha’s population are below the age of 44, presenting immense opportunities for innovation and growth. “Education today is no longer confined to degrees; it has become a medium for capability building,” he said.Noting that Odisha’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) currently stands at 23%, he urged stakeholders to raise it above the national average of 29% by 2036.Higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj described the launch of the ShaktiShree app and internship guidelines as a transformative step in Odisha’s higher education journey. He said the state govt secured grants worth over Rs 700 crore under the PM-USHA scheme and appointed new vice-chancellors in 14 universities to improve academic standards.
