Safety audit in TN campuses: One-time stunt or major initiative?

In the wake of the sexual abuse of a 19-year-old engineering student by a street vendor in the prestigious Anna University campus in Chennai, the state government has, for the first time, called for a safety audit in all higher education institutions.

While the higher education and law ministries claim to clean up the system with this safety audit, a group of educationists and students call this initiative an “eyewash”.

The state government's move to conduct a safety audit includes the installation of CCTV cameras on the premises of higher education institutions, monitoring the movement of outsiders, and increasing awareness of POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) on campus.

Also read: Anna varsity case: Madras HC forms all-women SIT; free education, Rs 25 L for survivor

Police officials investigating the case related to the Anna University student told the media that the street vendor arrested in the abuse case had free access to the university campus without any difficulty. This revelation has shocked many parents, who are worried about the safety of their children.

With safety issues at Anna University gaining prominence, students who had earlier flagged concerns about security say their complaints were not addressed in a timely manner, and in some cases, were put on backburner without even reaching the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of the institution.

When the list goes on...

In some instances, only when students protest against abuse, security is tightened for a few days, but the movement of outsiders into educational institutions is not properly monitored, say students.

In August 2024, students at the National Institute of Technology-Tiruchi (NIT-T) protested after a technician allegedly sexually harassed a student at the women’s hostel on the campus. The college administration promised to ensure safety after a sit-in protest by students.

In another instance, in March 2022, an outsider entered the Bharathiyar University girls' hostel to steal laptops and had an easy escape because the hostel was close to a forest.

“Close to 1,200 students are residing in 11 hostels here. We are not feeling safe even now. Hostel authorities are asking us to keep our rooms locked and not leave them at night without assistance. Why are they unable to keep the premises safe for us? Even in the 2022 incident, the police only registered a case after two weeks despite our complaint and protest,” said a PhD student, pleading anonymity.

An inquiry into a verbal abuse complaint in February 2023 by an assistant professor at Madurai Kamaraj University also uncovered a decade-old complaint related to caste discrimination against students by the same individual.

“For several years, an assistant professor was harassing students. He was suspended based on the latest complaint in 2023. But the 2011 complaint was filed by a group of 11 students whom he had failed in an exam to showcase his caste supremacy. When their papers were re-examined based on the complaint, all of them had passed. But the inquiry related to 2011 complaint was put into cold storage and not addressed until now,” said a senior professor at Madurai Kamaraj University.

Also read: Anna varsity rape: After dumping footwear, Annamalai flogs himself in protest

Need to make institutions safe

While the list of complaints and inquiries continues, S. Anandakumar, president of the South Chennai wing of the Student Federation of India (SFI), says the safety audit initiative put forth by the state government should not be a one-time activity.

He organised protests in front of the Anna University campus twice in the last week, demanding the safety of students in all higher education institutions in the state.

Anandakumar demanded that the government monitor the effective functioning of ICCs in educational institutions. “Last year, students protested against sexual abuse in three institutions in Chennai alone. When the Tamil Nadu government proudly declares that it has almost double the national average of students enrolled in higher education, it should also ensure that its institutions are safe and secure spaces for students. The safety audit should not be a temporary solution; it should be conducted regularly, and the details should be disclosed to students,” he told The Federal.

Kangaroo courts on campuses?

How involved are students in inquiries based on complaints filed by students on campus? S. Bala Murugan, president of the Association of University Teachers, has a shocking answer.

He told The Federal that 99% of educational institutions in the state do not have student representatives in the Internal Complaints Committee, which is required under UGC norms.

Also read: Anna University rape | 'Accused had a habit of taking students' photos'

Quoting Section 4(c) of the UGC POSH regulations, he said, “As per the norm, three students, who are elected through a transparent, democratic procedure, should be enrolled in the committee when the matter involves students. But many institutions only form the ICC after an incident of abuse. There are cases where students who wanted to file complaints related to abuse were asked to bring their parents, which discouraged them from proceeding with the complaint,” he said.

“Apart from women professors and legal representatives, the ICC should have representation from students. When a complaint is filed by a student, a student representative can easily help the affected person. But very rarely are student representatives included in the ICC. Leave alone students, not many professors are aware of the ICC. The details of the ICC members are listed in the annual diary of the college or university, but not many are aware of how it works,” he told The Federal.

He also mentioned that many complaints related to sexual abuse are dealt with in a “kangaroo court” format, where students, worried about their future, go unsupported. “Instead of addressing the complaint, when the student is asked to bring their parents, it discourages the complainant. It also deters other students from approaching the ICC,” he said.

A fresh beginning, says minister

When The Federal asked about the state of insecurity prevailing in various educational institutions, Tamil Nadu’s Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiyan said the safety audit initiative would mark a fresh beginning to ensure safety for students.

“Safety of students is our first priority. We will increase awareness among students to file complaints through the ICC. Even in the case of the student at Anna University, the student dialled 100 and filed a complaint. When the police visited the campus, she was assisted by a professor from the ICC. She was given enough support to file her complaint, and she was also counselled to stay strong. The same kind of support will be given to all students,” he said.

Also read: Anna varsity sex assault: TN govt dismisses Oppn charge that accused was DMK member

When asked why many ICCs lack student representatives, he said, “Students will be included in the committee whenever there is a need. The UGC norm states that the inclusion of students is necessary to inquire into complaints related to students. We will strengthen security systems, including training security personnel and ensuring the effective functioning of CCTV cameras. The movement of outsiders will be monitored. We have set a deadline of 10 days to ensure the safety mechanisms in all campuses,” he told The Federal.

(Helplines: National Helpline for Women in Distress -- 1091; Tamil Nadu Women’s Helpline -- 181; Tamil Nadu Police -- 100; National Commission for Women -- +91 11 2694 8900 or +91 11 2694 8920)