Cuttack, Feb 21: Students of Shailabala Women’s College in Cuttack staged a protest on Saturday, demanding university status for their institution. The demonstration came just a day after the Odisha government revealed plans to establish four new universities in the state. The protesting students halted classes and gathered outside the college campus, urging the state government to grant university status to the esteemed women’s institution.
The students expressed frustration over the delay in addressing the long-standing demand for university status, which has remained unresolved for years. They highlighted that the issue was not included in the annual state budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year, leading to widespread disappointment within the college community.
The protesters made it clear that their agitation would persist until the government took decisive action to confer university status upon Shailabala Women’s College.
Located near the historic Katak Chandi Temple, Shailabala Women’s College is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions for women’s education in India. The college was founded by two prominent figures of Odisha, Madhusudan Das and his adopted daughter, Shailabala Das, whose visionary efforts laid the foundation for women’s higher education in the region.
In February 2017, the Odisha government granted the college autonomous status. It is currently affiliated with Rama Devi Women’s University in Bhubaneswar.
During the presentation of the State Budget for 2026–27, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced the creation of four new universities in the district headquarters of Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, and Jharsuguda. These proposed universities are expected to offer postgraduate courses, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
