UGC frames guidelines on women’s safety in higher educational institutions. Key points

Barely a month after sensational video leak of girls hostel in Chandigarh University that set nationwide storm, the  University Grants Commission (UGC) has drafted new guidelines for a safe, secure and gender equitable environment in colleges, higher educational institutions (HEIs).

“To provide a safe, secure and violence free environment to all the students particularly the women students is the utmost responsibility of the institutions,” UGC guidelines mentioned.

The commission has also invited suggestions on “Guidelines for basic facilities and amenities for secure environment for women on campuses and Women Cell (for sensitization, policy implementation, monitoring and grievance redressal) in higher educational institutions” by November 14, 2022.

The UGC committee observed that there is a strong need to challenge the culture of silence that perpetuate the acts of violence against women, be it within the campus or outside, reported NDTV. “Gender sensitisation of each and every individual on the campus including the vice chancellor, registrar, the principal, the administrative officers, all the teaching and non- teaching staff, students, research scholars, all service providers and workers ( permanent, temporary and contractual) will pave the way for making our campuses safe and secure for women,” UGC release read.

The guidelines broadly classified into infrastructural facilities and amenities for a safe and secure environment and Women Cells for sensitization, policy implementation, monitoring and grievance redressal.

The committee appreciated UGC’s earlier report titled, “Saksham: Measures for ensuring the Safety of Women and Programmes for Gender Sensitisation on Campuses” and recommended that Saksham should act as a handbook for developing gender sensitisation programmes in higher education institutions (HEIs)

Key points in New Guidelines

Students should be provided with a handbook at the time of admission that would contain detailed information about rules and regulations regarding proper conduct.

Professional counseling services should be available on the campus to address the psychological and emotional concerns of the students.

A sufficient number of female security guards should be hired from credible security firms.

It should list the helpline numbers of ICC members, student counsellors, anti-ragging cell, proctor office, medical emergencies, health centre, canteen, and other university authorities to be approached in case of need.

The HEIs should ensure easy access to basic sanitation and hygiene facilities for women.

Boundary wall provisions are essential for ensuring the safety of students especially where campuses are located in rural or out of town, secluded areas.

All the public spaces on the campus should be under CCTV coverage with a centralized surveillance system to monitor the behavior and activities of students, staff, and visitors.

The HEIs should build more hostels for women and all women students who need hostel rooms should be given this facility.