Bhubaneswar: The state government has asked the colleges across Odisha to complete the formation of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) within a week to ensure the safety of girl students on the campus.

The Higher Education Department has asked all government, government-aided and private colleges in the state to constitute the ICCs and submit the reports within a week.

The Higher Education Department may initiate stern action against the colleges for their failure to comply with the order.

Even, the department may restrict the colleges to enroll students in the 2026-27 academic year, reports said.

It is worth mentioning here that the Higher Education Department rolled out a comprehensive code of conduct for students and faculty members of the higher education institutions of the state on Friday.

Through the code of conduct, the Department has taken a firm stance against sexual harassment and obscene behaviour on the campus.

The colleges have been asked to refer cases of sexual harassment to the ICCs for investigation and strict action.