NEW DELHI, July 16 — The University Grants Commission (UGC) has constituted a four-member fact-finding committee to investigate the tragic case of a college student in Odisha’s Balasore who died after self-immolating over alleged sexual harassment and institutional inaction.
The 20-year-old second-year BEd student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College had accused the head of the Education Department, Samira Kumar Sahu, of sexually harassing her. She set herself on fire on the college campus on Saturday, sustaining 95% burns. Despite intensive care at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, she succumbed to her injuries on Monday night after a 60-hour battle for life.
UGC Secretary Sudeep Singh Jain confirmed the formation of the panel, saying, “A four-member team has been formed to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the availability and effectiveness of institutional policies, grievance redressal mechanisms, anti-harassment measures adopted, and student support systems.”
The panel is tasked with assessing whether the institution adhered to regulatory norms and ensuring that systemic failures are identified and addressed. “The panel will also suggest preventive measures to avert recurrence of such tragic incidents,” Jain added.
The committee will be headed by Prof. Raj Kumar Mittal, a UGC member and senior academic from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Other members include former UGC member Prof. Sushma Yadav, former Gujarat University vice-chancellor Prof. Neerja Gupta, and UGC Joint Secretary Ashima Mangla.
The case has sparked national outrage and drawn sharp criticism of institutional responses to sexual harassment complaints. Multiple arrests have been made, including the professor accused by the student and the college principal, who allegedly dismissed her complaint as false.
UGC’s intervention comes amid mounting pressure for reform in how Indian higher education institutions handle sexual harassment, support survivors, and ensure accountability at all administrative levels. The commission has not announced a timeline for the panel’s report but stated that the investigation will be thorough and independent.
