CHENNAI: Fortifying campuses with barbed wire, installing police booths in colleges and frisking students are some recent UGC safety guidelines that have raised eyebrows and sparked protests across the country. Students and academicians have now come together to condemn the rules, which were proposed early this year to increase campus safety.
Prof Vijaykumar of Madhurai Kamraj University said the rules are unnecessary. "Colleges are supposed to welcome students and not be restrictive," he said. "Students should be able to walk in and out of college without any hassle." Colleges say the rules are not only harsh but also difficult to implement. "These are measures that cannot be undertaken suddenly. There are several other issues on campuses that need focus," said a college official, who did not want to be named.
An online signature petition, which began in September, demanding UGC withdraw 'UGC Guidelines on Safety of Students On and Off Campuses for Higher Educational Institutions' has 2,500 supporters.
"We want our campuses to be open spaces," said Sucheta De, president of All India Students' Association. "A university where every movement of adult students is monitored and reported to their parents is not an 'oasis of safety and security' but a jail."
She said the guidelines instead may turn out to be a useful tool for forces that conduct moral policing, 'cleanse cultural pollution', impose bans and attack freedom of expression.
"How can UGC violate our right to privacy by telling university authorities to spy on students' personal lives and political activism?" the association questioned.
Mary E John, who co-chaired the UGC task force that came up with the 'saksham' report for safety of women and "gender sensitisation" after the December 16 gang rape in Delhi, said the guidelines contradicted the report. "Students are being treated as potential criminals. Since when can any authority go to such lengths for safety measures," she asked.
UGC, which has suggested a re-think on the police station aspect, has maintained that said the guidelines are "suggestive and not mandatory". However, academicians pointed out that suggestive measures are enforcing the idea of a 'policing mentality'.
Kavita Krishnan, secretary, All India Progressive Women's Association, said the guidelines were draconian and absurd. "Police should have no place on campuses since they can intimidate students who raise their voices in dissent or hold protests against the government. We would like to remind UGC that 'risk avoidance' can easily turn into victim blaming and moral policing," she said.
Prof Vijaykumar of Madhurai Kamraj University said the rules are unnecessary. "Colleges are supposed to welcome students and not be restrictive," he said. "Students should be able to walk in and out of college without any hassle." Colleges say the rules are not only harsh but also difficult to implement. "These are measures that cannot be undertaken suddenly. There are several other issues on campuses that need focus," said a college official, who did not want to be named.
An online signature petition, which began in September, demanding UGC withdraw 'UGC Guidelines on Safety of Students On and Off Campuses for Higher Educational Institutions' has 2,500 supporters.
"We want our campuses to be open spaces," said Sucheta De, president of All India Students' Association. "A university where every movement of adult students is monitored and reported to their parents is not an 'oasis of safety and security' but a jail."
She said the guidelines instead may turn out to be a useful tool for forces that conduct moral policing, 'cleanse cultural pollution', impose bans and attack freedom of expression.
"How can UGC violate our right to privacy by telling university authorities to spy on students' personal lives and political activism?" the association questioned.
Mary E John, who co-chaired the UGC task force that came up with the 'saksham' report for safety of women and "gender sensitisation" after the December 16 gang rape in Delhi, said the guidelines contradicted the report. "Students are being treated as potential criminals. Since when can any authority go to such lengths for safety measures," she asked.
UGC, which has suggested a re-think on the police station aspect, has maintained that said the guidelines are "suggestive and not mandatory". However, academicians pointed out that suggestive measures are enforcing the idea of a 'policing mentality'.
Kavita Krishnan, secretary, All India Progressive Women's Association, said the guidelines were draconian and absurd. "Police should have no place on campuses since they can intimidate students who raise their voices in dissent or hold protests against the government. We would like to remind UGC that 'risk avoidance' can easily turn into victim blaming and moral policing," she said.
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