With the aim of strengthening safety measures on school campuses, the CBSE recently issued a directive making it mandatory for all affiliated schools to install high-resolution CCTV cameras with real-time audio-visual recording across classrooms, corridors, staircases, play areas and libraries.
The directive says that the cameras must be equipped with a minimum of 15 days of footage backup accessible to authorities when required. While the move is intended to deter bullying and create a secure learning environment, it has also triggered debate over potential privacy violations.
As footage becomes accessible to authorities and daily school life is recorded, especially audio, many fear this could turn classrooms into high-pressure zones rather than safe spaces for learning and expression.
“I disagree with this move,” says Maria (name changed), a Plus-Two student. “Our privacy will be affected because of this. With audio recording looming over us, sharing private issues will be difficult. Intimacy among friends will be reduced. Ultimately, we will feel jailed.”
Another student, Zeenath (name changed), says the move is akin to moral policing. “Open classroom discussions and debates will be affected if there is such close surveillance. Moreover, students will be afraid to vent their woes or to express any sort of criticism,” she adds.
“Won’t this impact students’ personal development? In my case, I am emotionally dependent on my friends. I share my worries, including family matters, with them. I don’t want my personal issues to be heard by anyone else other than the people I am comfortable with. School is a space where we socialise a lot, and if this is implemented, free socialisation gets obstructed for close to eight hours a day.”
However, Sreeshma (name changed), another Class 12 student, sees the move in a positive light. “One, this will curb bullying on campuses. Two, if a student has a complaint against a teacher, there is a chance the authorities might side with the teacher. But with this facility in place, students can back their claims with evidence.”
What schools say
School managements have welcomed CBSE’s directive. “The main aim is the safety of children. It’s not about restricting their freedom in any way,” says Fr Xavier Ampatt CMI, principal of Christ Nagar Central School, Thiruvananthapuram.
“If any safety issue arises, even parents request access to CCTV footage. So this is a necessary step. Schools already have visual cameras; adding audio won’t make much of a difference. It’s not like the recordings are going to be exhibited. I don’t see any point in the ongoing debate.”
Prathibha V, principal of Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Vaduthala, Kochi, also believes it is a good move to prevent bullying or other malpractices. “But, yes, privacy is a concern. I guess students will get used to the cameras and behave as usual after initial apprehensions. Only someone doing something wrong should be worried,” she says.
Not all are on the same page. Former principal of Cochin Refineries School, Mala B Menon, warns, “Setting up cameras with audio recording will have consequences. Personal time and free speech of students will be affected. Even teachers will become more conscious of continuous scrutiny.”
She, however, backs the idea of having surveillance in areas such as corridors and playgrounds. “This is already there in many schools,” Mala adds.
Parents speak
Parents too have mixed opinions. “If there is a problem on campus, we will get a clearer picture with both video and audio recordings,” says Teena B, parent of a Class 12 student.
But there is a flipside, she quickly adds. “Children often open up to their friends about personal concerns and anxieties. If someone taunts or misbehaves with them, they are more likely to confide in their peers than in parents or authority figures,” she says.
“Often, peer conversations help them work through their feelings. However, if audio is being recorded, students might hold back from these important discussions. That could be harmful.”
Is it ethical?
Former Unicef youth adviser Amal Saji explains that the CBSE directive follows a manual released by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which calls for more secure environments in schools.
However, he stresses, the surveillance guidelines should only be implemented with due processes. There are many concerns, he adds. “One, who manages these data, the videos and audios of the students? Who all will have access to the monitoring system? The data here is very sensitive. Chances of misuse should be ruled out,” Amal warns.
“The board should bring out a protocol to ensure the security of these sensitive data. There should be a mechanism where the school will lose its CBSE affiliation if data is misused, leaked or is accessed by someone who shouldn’t.” Moreover, he adds, the cameras shouldn’t infringe on the privacy of students, which will “stifle their development and overall growth”.
Preetha Ajit, counsellor at Army Public School, Thiruvananthapuram, points out that although schools are unlikely to monitor students constantly, recording both video and audio is “ethically problematic”. However, she adds, “This move can help evaluate whether students are facing any issues due to remarks made by teachers.”
Psychologist Beena V S says there are two sides to every issue. “Such surveillance may help some students feel safe and allow assessment of teaching quality,” she says.
“However, there are concerns over voice recordings being misused. Even teachers might become anxious or overly conscious. Everything will feel like a performance, knowing someone could be watching or evaluating at any time.”
The issue is subjective and could affect students with performance anxiety, causing them to lose confidence. “Those with social withdrawal might isolate themselves further out of fear of being teased. The ideal way to implement this will be by considering the opinions of both students and parents,” she cautions.
Nisha M S, psychologist and assistant professor at Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth in Kochi, highlights that a school is not just a place for studying. “It is here that students develop their individuality,” she underscores.
“Constant surveillance, especially audio recording that will even monitor personal conversations, will severely impact the overall development of students. Friendships, budding teenage romances, and interpersonal relationships are all part of growing up. Hence, such close surveillance can be harmful.”
According to Jamila K Warrier, consultant psychologist and educational therapist, the psychological impact varies based on age, gender, and personality. While younger children, such as those in nursery classes, may not be significantly affected, pre-teens and adolescents might feel increasingly restricted.
She also points out that students are quick to identify blind spots in surveillance. “Incidents like abuse, fights, or even drug use are often reported to take place in school toilets — areas that are not under camera coverage,” she observes, adding that close monitoring may not be as effective as presumed.
Jamila believes the root issue lies in a lack of self-regulation among children today, which leads to an overreliance on external control. “Instead of constant monitoring, schools should focus on instilling a strong value system that encourages empathy and respectful behaviour,” she suggests. “Children are crammed with too many structured activities, leaving no space for organic growth. If we rightly address these foundational needs, we would not need such close monitoring.”