Third party security audits mandated for universities and colleges

Third-party security audit mandated for universities after sexual assault incident; strict regulations on campus access and surveillance proposed.

All universities and colleges with a campus system have been instructed to conduct a third-party audit of security systems on their premises. The instruction comes on the heels of an incident last week in which a student on the Anna University campus was sexually assaulted. Higher Education Secretary K. Gopal held a meeting of all universities on Saturday.

Dr. Gopal said the movement of outsiders, including electricians, and canteen, contract, and construction workers, on campuses should be reported and documented daily, and a strong system, such as biometric identification, should be installed to regulate their entry.

All persons, besides students and staff, must not be allowed within the campus without prior permission from the authorities concerned. Institutions must avoid multiple exits and entrances, and make identity cards mandatory.

The campuses must be patrolled at regular intervals and registers maintained. Vulnerable spots on the campus must be identified, and security at these places must be intensified. Institutions must maintain a log of vehicles within the campus and a list of visitors daily. Institution authorities must encourage students to download the ‘Kavalan’ app on their mobile phones, Dr. Gopal said.

He said that a separate meeting should be held to discuss the problems of research scholars and guides in all institutions. This instruction follows a petition that a research scholar submitted to the Governor-Chancellor at a convocation some time ago.

Dr. Gopal said a redressal committee will include members who can handle “the sensitive problems with utmost maturity.” He added that “highest departmental punishments should be given to defaulters.”