One-day Capacity Building Program – 4th August 2023.

On August 4, 2023, the Centre for Women and Law (CWL), in collaboration with the National Commission for Women (NCW), organised a one-day capacity development and personality enhancement program for female undergraduate and postgraduate students. This comprehensive program consisted of three sessions, each lasting one and a half hours, aimed at equipping young women with essential skills to excel in the professional world. The event attracted over a hundred students from various universities across the state.

The program commenced with an inaugural address by Professor Ved Kumari, the distinguished Vice-Chancellor of the National Law University, Odisha (NLUO). Her session was structured around three key areas: Communication, Stress Management, and Time Management. Her approach was highly interactive, focusing on eliciting responses from the participants to provide them with practical insights. She explored various modes, types, and techniques of communication. The session concluded with a call for positivity through smiles and laughter, exemplified by a laughter exercise.

The second session of the program was led by Dr. Arjyalopa Mishra, an Assistant Professor and the Internship and Placement Committee Co-Ordinator at NLUO. She focused on professional skills and career development, beginning with a discussion on self-assessment for career choices, CV drafting, and interview skills. Dr. Mishra emphasized the importance of aligning strengths and skills with career options and provided valuable guidance on acquiring professional skills through education, on-job training, and life experience.

In the latter part of the second session, Prof. Augustine Veliath, an Adjunct Professor at NLUO. He emphasized the importance of understanding the audience, structuring presentations effectively, and delivering them confidently. Prof. Veliath also provided insights into career guidance, highlighting the significance of goal setting, career assessment, networking, and mentorship for personal and professional growth.

In session led by Ms. Eluckiaa, delved into the digital landscape and cybersecurity. She discussed essential online platforms and tools, such as email services, productivity applications like Google Drive and Google Slides, and mobile payment applications like Paytm and Google Pay. She highlighted the pervasive presence of these platforms in contemporary digital interactions and the need to be aware of potential cyber threats. She provided insights into UPI and online payment methods, along with precautions against cybercrime and relevant legal provisions, such as IPC 354-D.

The program’s final segment featured an extensive statistical analysis presented by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Saumendra K. Priyadarshi. The analysis focused on a comparative study between smartphone usage in India and the USA, emphasizing the significance of smartphones in contemporary society, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addressing cybercrime awareness and smartphone usage, the discussion highlighted the importance of verifying reliable sources in the age of knowledge accessibility. He stressed the significance of promptly reporting incidents to government helplines and acknowledged the unpredictability of future cyber threats due to the rapid evolution of AI.

The program left a lasting impact on the attendees, equipping them with valuable skills and knowledge for their journey into the professional world. It highlighted the dedication of CWL and NCW to empower and uplift young women in India.