To address the safety concerns transpiring recent incidents at all-women colleges, DU issued a notification to reconstitute a women’s safety committee to strengthen the security of female students and employees.
On 8 May 2023, Delhi University (DU) issued a notification to reconstitute a committee on women’s safety and security in light of the incidents threatening the safety of students in all-women colleges. The committee, consisting of six members, will be headed by university proctor, Dr. Rajni Abbi.
The competent authority of the university has re-constituted a committee on women safety and security to strengthen the safety and security of female students and employees of the university
–stated the notification issued by DU on May 8 2023.
The notification is issued to address the recent incidents in cultural fests raising concerns regarding the safety and security of female students and employees on campus. On 29 March 2023, male trespassers harassed and catcalled women during Indraprastha College for Women (IPCW) annual fest, Shruti. A similar harassment incident was reported in Miranda College in October 2022 where several men scaled down the college walls and sexually harassed the female students attending the college’s Diwali fest. These incidents have also caused Gargi College’s annual fest, Reverie, to be cut short to only a one-day affair held on April 10, with limited participants and events.
The university felt the need to have a specific committee to look into the issues of female safety. The committee that was formed after these incidents created generalized guidelines. But it was not specific to the safety of girl students
–Dr. Rajni Abbi stated, in conversation with Press Trust of India (PTI).
Alongside Dr. Rajni Abbi as the Chairperson, the six-member committee will consist of Law Center II’s Prof. Vageshwari Deswal as the Member Secretary, joint proctor Prof. Geeta Sahare, Dr. Mallika Kumar from SRCC, Assistant Registrar Sh. Girish Kumar and Advocate Ms. Niyati Sharma as members.
Previously, on 17 April 2023, DU varsity issued an 17-point advisory notice to colleges and departments clearly stating the “responsibility for events shall lie with the college/department authorities” and the college will be responsible for any “untoward incident”.
Entry for events should be through pre-registration like on Google Forms with details of the event, that is, date, venue, and the expected number of participants, should be maintained and submitted to the police with a copy to other above-mentioned departments
–the advisory added.
Image Credits: Hindustan Times
Sri Sidhvi Dindi