In anticipation of the upcoming college fest season, an advisory for the conduct of fests, events, and programmes was disseminated to all Delhi University (DU) colleges, with a particular focus on the security of women attendees.
Delhi University (DU) has issued a 17-point advisory, explicitly stating the dos and don’ts for holding events and fests across all colleges and departments. The advisory was issued by the University Proctor, Prof. Rajni Abbi earlier in April 2023. In light of numerous colleges in the varsity gearing up for their respective annual college fests, the University renotified the guidelines for the same.
The guidelines entail essential measures, including acquiring No Objection Certificates (NOC) from the local police stations, implementing pre-registration for outsiders with mandatory college identity card verification, installing low concertina wires to prevent unauthorised access, ensuring illumination of all surrounding areas near the venue, and conducting mandatory security drills, among other specifications.
The DU advisory also suggested that there should be multiple gates in the college, and all gates must have working CCTVs. The advisory mentioned,
All gates should have a PA (public announcement) system for any announcements. Keeping in mind the number of their students, teachers, and staff members present at the event, the number of outside registrations should be kept below the venue’s capacity.
The advisory was issued in response to the spate of incidents that have transpired in women’s colleges in recent years.
One such horrific incident was reported in March this year from DU’s oldest women’s college, the Indraprastha College for Women (IPCW), where unidentified individuals allegedly harassed students after entering the premises by scaling the walls during the annual college festival. Subsequently, a wave of extensive protests emerged among the student body, advocating for the resignation of the college principal in response to the aforementioned incident.
In October of the previous year, Miranda House experienced a similarly disturbing event during their Diwali Fest, where individuals reportedly scaled walls, vociferously shouted slogans, and subjected students to harassment, prompting heightened concerns for student safety.
In light of the same, the advisory was prepared after a host of meetings with several university and college officials and the Delhi Police. It thus read,
It is absolutely essential to give students the confidence that if any untoward they could, they should immediately approach their staff advisors, teachers, the Internal Complaints Committee, the Women’s Developmental Cell, the Proctorial Committee, and the Principal so that they can take speedy action.
Read also: The Invasion of IPCW – A Student’s Account
Featured Image Credits: DU Beat
Injeella Himani
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