Bhubaneswar: To foster a culture of fitness, wellness and holistic development among students, the Odisha government has officially launched “FIT College Programme” across all state public and private universities, as well as government and aided degree colleges.
Launched under the broader “FIT Odisha Mission” — which seeks to promote physical fitness, boost sports participation, and support mental well-being and community engagement among youth — the initiative aims to embed health, fitness, and wellness practices deeply into higher educational institutions statewide.
In an official communication from Joint Secretary Mousumi Nayak (OAS) of the Higher Education Department, registrars and principals have been directed to take immediate steps to implement the structured framework.
The guidelines outline a comprehensive set of activities, including regular physical fitness routines, yoga sessions, wellness programme, and expanded sports opportunities. The programme also prioritises mental health support
through counselling, preventive healthcare awareness, and healthy lifestyle education, addressing the rising demand for psychological resources among students.
To ensure the seamless execution of the programme, colleges and universities have been instructed to set up a dedicated institutional framework, which includes the formation of a Central Coordination Committee headed by the Vice-Chancellor or Principal. Additionally, institutions must appoint a Nodal Officer and a Counselling & Wellness Coordinator to oversee the daily operations and support systems.
Campus life under the new mandate will also see student clubs and activity groups, focusing on sports and fitness, yoga and wellness, nutrition and preventive healthcare, mental health support, and adventure activities. These clubs will operate under faculty mentorship to drive higher student involvement in wellness initiatives.
A key feature is the 100-point “FIT College Performance Index”, which will evaluate institutions on governance, fitness activities, sports participation rates, yoga programmes, student engagement, mental health infrastructure, preventive healthcare, innovation, and proper documentation.. Based on their scores, institutions will be graded as ‘Excellent FIT Campus”, “Very Good FIT Campus”, “Good FIT Campus”, “Emerging FIT Campus” or “Needs Improvement”.
To ensure swift rollout, all colleges and universities have been asked to form committees, appoint coordinators, activate student clubs, and prepare annual fitness and wellness calendars within 30 days. They will also submit compliance reports and quarterly progress updates to the department.