CCTV must be installed in all Maharashtra schools to curb sexual harassment cases: Varsha Gaikwad

By next academic year, we intend to ensure all schools and junior colleges have functional CCTVs installed on campus, Maharashtra Education Minister. 

Maharashtra against sexual harassment in schools: In order to curb sexual harassment incidents, Maharashtra school education minister Varsha Gaikwad directed all schools to install CCTV cameras. While speaking in the Legislative Council, the state education minister revealed that there are nearly 65,000 schools in the state comprising state run, state-funded, private ones and those attached to various education boards.

Directly all schools to install CCTV cameras with immediate effect, Gaikwad said, “All these schools must deploy CCTV cameras to put a check on sexual harassment. We will make it mandatory for schools to support the CCTV cameras with a hard drive so that daily footage can be recorded and made available if required for inquiry.”

The minister tweeted, “Health and safety of our students is of paramount importance. To enhance safety features for our students in schools, we have come up with some additional measures. Announced these in the state Legislative Council today.”

The school education commissioner will look after the functioning of these committees. “Schools will have to set up 'Sakhi Savitri' committees comprising principal, woman teacher, doctor, anganwadi worker, male and female students to maintain school decorum and, if needed, to carry out an inquiry as well. Names of members must be prominently displayed in schools,” she added.

“By next academic year, we intend to ensure all schools and junior colleges have functional CCTVs installed on campus. On April 7, 2016, the state had directed all private schools to install CCTVs on their premises. Directives to strictly enforce this by the start of new academic year will be issued,” the minister said.

The minister further tweeted, “It is important our students have the right kind of awareness. For this, good and bad touch workshops will be conducted across schools. It will be mandatory for all schools to install a complaint box on their campus, attendance will be marked twice during a school day.”

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