Bhubaneswar: In a bid to strengthen the safety of students and check sexual harassment as well as ragging, the Odisha government has decided to install CCTV surveillance systems in all schools, colleges and universities across the state.
While the School and Mass Education department is working out a plan to install CCTV cameras in all schools, the Higher Education department has also decided to bring all educational institutions under its jurisdiction under such surveillance system.
School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond said that installation of CCTV cameras will go a long way in ensuring a secure learning atmosphere in schools.
The decision to provide these gadgets follows the safety measures already introduced in several schools affiliated to the CBSE.
Sources said the CBSE has already made it mandatory for all its affiliated schools to install high-resolution CCTV cameras with audio-visual recording capabilities. The directive comes under the “School Safety” section of the Affiliation Bye-Laws 2018, as amended.
Stating that the state government is taking concrete steps for implementation of the proposal, the Minister said that his department is holding detailed discussions regarding various aspects of the initiative.
Apart from surveillance, the government has directed all schools to set up Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) in accordance with the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act. These committees will deal with issues related to sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination, said Gond.
Reiterating the state’s commitment to the protection and empowerment of women and children in the education system, the minister said, “Safety and well-being of students remain our top priority. Dedicated helpline numbers have been set up to ensure prompt reporting and redressal of complaints.”
Regarding higher educational institutions, a senior official said that the department has decided to mandate installation of CCTVs in all public colleges and universities to keep a close watch and ensure a safe environment in the campuses. Modalities of the installation are currently being worked out. The initiative is being taken under the Shaktishree initiative, which was announced by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi last week in wake of the FM (Autonomous) College incident,
Principals of the institutions will soon be asked to identify the locations on campuses where installation of CCTVs is required. The principals will consult the internal complaints committee (ICC) members and Shaktishree Empowerment Cells to decide upon locations on the campuses. A central control room will be established in the department for monitoring purposes.
The idea is to bring both frequented and less frequented areas in a college or university under CCTV surveillance to keep an eye on any untoward incident that is happening on campuses including cases of sexual harassment,” said the official.
