HYDERABAD: To ensure the safety of women on campus, student leaders are stressing on the importance of installing CCTV cameras covering the entire premises of educational institutions.“Educational institutions must have CCTV cameras on campus. When it comes to safety and security, surveillance cameras have become a basic necessity for the security of women,” said Telangana Rashtra Samithi Vidyarthi Vibhagam (TRSV) general secretary Kranthi Kiran.
A few years ago, the University Grants Commission (UGC) issued safety guidelines directing higher educational institutes to install CCTV cameras. However, it is a known fact that most of the engineering colleges, including the one where a student was molested by her teacher recently, did not have surveillance cameras installed on the premises.
Pointing out that the UGC did not make it compulsory to install CCTV cameras, Telangana Engineering Colleges Teachers Association president K V Reddy said, “It is not compulsory to install CCTV cameras in the colleges, and the management is not bothered to have one in place.” He said that in such a scenario, students should not entertain any teachers or colleagues who make advances towards them. “Female students should report any unwanted advances from people they know, even if it is from their friend circle, to the college management or to parents to avoid any possible danger.”