NCW chief Vijaya Rahatkar urges youth to champion safe, inclusive India at KISS-KIIT
Synopsis
NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar took her gender-safety message directly to students in Bhubaneswar, felicitating five Campus Ambassadors at KISS and KIIT while simultaneously running a national awareness drive on Zero FIR rights — a legal tool many women remain unaware of. The dual outreach signals the NCW’s shift toward campus-led advocacy as a force multiplier.
Key Takeaways
NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar addressed students at the Campus Calling Programme at KISS and KIIT in Bhubaneswar on 3 September .
Five Campus Ambassadors were felicitated with Campus Calling Certificates for promoting gender awareness and social change.
The event was attended by Achyuta Samanta , founder of KIIT and KISS, along with senior faculty.
The NCW Advisory Committee Meeting was held in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday , focusing on women’s empowerment, gender equality, and safety.
Rahatkar separately launched a Zero FIR awareness campaign on X , clarifying that women can file complaints at any police station regardless of where the offence occurred.
National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar on Thursday, 3 September called on young people to take an active role in shaping a safer and more inclusive nation, engaging directly with students at two prominent institutions in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Her visit underscored the NCW's growing outreach beyond metropolitan centres to mobilise campus communities around gender safety and social responsibility.
Campus Calling Programme at KISS and KIIT
Rahatkar addressed students at the Campus Calling Programme organised jointly at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) and the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT). She emphasised the indispensable role of youth in nation-building and in creating environments where women and marginalised groups feel protected. The session drew participation from senior faculty and was attended by Achyuta Samanta, founder of both KIIT and KISS, according to an official statement.
As part of the programme, five Campus Ambassadors were felicitated and awarded Campus Calling Certificates by Rahatkar, recognising their contributions to spreading awareness and driving social change within their institutions.
NCW Advisory Committee Deliberates on Women's Empowerment
A day earlier, on Wednesday, the NCW Advisory Committee Meeting was convened in Bhubaneswar, bringing together board members to deliberate on pressing issues including women's empowerment, gender equality, safety, and legal protection. The back-to-back engagements signal a concerted push by the NCW to anchor its policy discussions in ground-level outreach.
Rahatkar Highlights Zero FIR Rights for Women
Separately, Rahatkar has been running a targeted awareness campaign on women's legal rights, with a particular focus on the Zero FIR mechanism. In a post on social media platform X, she stated: 'Zero FIR is your right! You can file a complaint for any cognisable offence at your nearest police station, regardless of where the incident occurred.'
She further clarified: 'Once the Zero FIR is registered, the case is transferred to the relevant police station. If the police refuse to register the FIR, submit a written complaint and contact a senior police officer. Stay informed about your rights and don’t hesitate to raise your voice.'
Alongside her post, Rahatkar attached an informational pamphlet detailing the step-by-step process for filing a Zero FIR, reinforcing that a woman can approach any police station convenient to her — irrespective of the jurisdiction in which the offence occurred.
Significance of the Outreach
The NCW’s dual focus — campus engagement and legal literacy — reflects a broader strategy of combining institutional advocacy with grassroots awareness. Bhubaneswar’s selection as the venue is notable: Odisha has seen sustained attention on women’s safety metrics in recent years, and KISS in particular serves a large tribal student population, making the outreach especially significant for underrepresented communities. The NCW’s Campus Calling initiative is designed to create a network of informed student advocates who can amplify gender-rights messaging within their own peer groups.
Point of View
Suggesting the NCW is trying to reach communities where legal literacy around women’s rights is lowest. The Zero FIR campaign running in parallel is timely, but awareness alone is insufficient if police compliance at the station level remains inconsistent. The real measure of this outreach will be whether Campus Ambassadors are given structured follow-up support, or whether the certificates remain symbolic.
NationPress
3 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NCW Campus Calling Programme?
The Campus Calling Programme is a National Commission for Women initiative that engages college students as Campus Ambassadors to spread awareness about gender rights, women’s safety, and social inclusion. At the Bhubaneswar event on 3 September, five ambassadors were recognised with certificates for their outreach work.
What is a Zero FIR and why is the NCW promoting it?
A Zero FIR allows a woman — or any person — to file a complaint for a cognisable offence at any police station, regardless of where the incident took place. The NCW is promoting it because many women are unaware of this right, which can be critical in emergencies when approaching the jurisdictionally correct station is not immediately possible.
Who attended the Campus Calling Programme in Bhubaneswar?
The programme was attended by NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, KIIT and KISS Founder Achyuta Samanta, senior faculty members, and students from both institutions. Five Campus Ambassadors were formally felicitated at the event.
What did the NCW Advisory Committee Meeting in Bhubaneswar discuss?
The NCW Advisory Committee Meeting, held on Wednesday in Bhubaneswar, brought together board members to deliberate on key issues including women’s empowerment, gender equality, safety, and legal protection of women.
What should a woman do if police refuse to register a Zero FIR?
According to NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, if police refuse to register a Zero FIR, the woman should submit a written complaint to the station and escalate the matter to a senior police officer. The NCW has also published a pamphlet detailing this process.
