Bhubaneswar, Jan. 28 -- The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the country to intensify awareness efforts on the prevention of ocular trauma, citing eye injuries as a significant public health concern and a leading cause of preventable blindness in India.

In a communication issued on January 22, 2026, the UGC referred to an advisory earlier issued by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), urging institutions to actively disseminate information on the causes, risks and prevention of eye injuries through visible public awareness measures

According to the NHRC advisory, ocular trauma accounts for nearly 7 per cent of all bodily injuries and contributes to 5 per cent of irrever...