Students in Odisha are set to receive education on cyber security as part of a comprehensive awareness initiative. The Higher Education Department has issued letters to the principals of all degree colleges across the state to facilitate participation.
The cyber security awareness campaign will run from October 18 to November 17, during which competitions will be organized at the block, district, range, and state levels.
In a letter issued by Deputy Secretary Ramesh Chandra Behera of the Higher Education Department, it is mentioned that the 2025 Cyber Security Awareness Campaign will be conducted statewide from October 18 to November 17, in collaboration with Odisha Police, the Home Department, and other organisations. The primary objective of this campaign is to educate students, women, the elderly, and the general public about safe digital practices and the procedures for reporting cyber crimes.
As part of the campaign, debate competitions on cyber security topics will be held in both Odia and English languages. These will be structured according to the 34 police districts, with designated nodal officers and a list of topics. At the block level, from October 18 to 31, 2025, debates will take place among colleges in each block, resulting in the selection of two winners per block—one in Odia and one in English. The names of these winners must be forwarded to the district’s cyber nodal police officer.
At the district level, block winners will compete, leading to the selection of two winners per district (one in Odia and one in English), totaling 34 winners in each language across all districts. This will be followed by competitions at the range and state levels.
The letter urges all degree college principals to ensure active participation from their institutions. Through this initiative, students will gain knowledge to protect themselves from cyber crimes and become more digitally aware. All colleges are encouraged to motivate their students to join in and contribute to the success of the campaign.