In April 2015, UGC issued a Guidelines on Safety of Students on and off Campuses of Higher Educational Institutions

These guidelines have invited strong reactions from student communities across the country as it is an intrusion into their privacy and personal freedom.

These directives recommend the use of biometrics for marking student attendance in classes as well as in hostels, pointing out that such measures will have the additional advantage of enabling administrations “to keep an eye on a student’s movement and whereabouts in failsafe manner”(sic).

Increasing surveillance and curbing of freedom: UGC guidelines mention use of CCTV cameras, armed security guards and "digital mechanism can enable HEIs to keep an eye on a student’s movement and whereabouts in failsafe manner"

The guidelines call for setting up a university police station within the premises of the HEIs!

It mentions that the "HEIs should organize quarterly parents-teachers meet (PTM) so that grievances and gaps in system can be addressed and resolved. Online complaint registration system can also be launched so that issues can be addressed before they slip out of hands of authorities." Let us unite to defeat such attempts to curb campus democracy in the name of providing safety to students!