Open House: What steps should authorities take to protect students’ privacy?

Educational institutions should take measures such as appointing a woman attendant who must ensure that a mobile or an electronic device is not taken to common bathrooms and toiles. The height of washroom walls should be increased to ensure privacy. Institutions should hire qualified psychiatrists to provide counselling to students. Teacher-student relations may be made cordial. This will go a long way in creating a healthy and safe atmosphere in educational institutions.

Sqn Ldr MS Johar (retd), Chandigarh

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Educate students on social media use

The Chandigarh University video “leak” incident is not a solitary case of this type but innumerable cases happen daily across the nation. When thousands of students from rural areas come to cities, they knowingly or unknowingly indulge in such practices. There is a greater need to sensitise youngsters to cybernetics so that they do not get caught in a complicated situation.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

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Dos and don’ts for social media usage

The young generation is tech-savvy and the easy availability of various mobile apps increases the propensity for committing voyeurism on the digital space. Self-restraint and ethical practices can help prevent an untoward situation. During induction and orientation programmes, newcomers have to be strictly told about the dos and don’ts of mobile and social media usage. Violators should be punished to send a strong message to others. It is a double-edged sword, thus we need to be careful and sensible while using it.

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

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Safety of students should be top priority

These temples of learning need to understand in the first place that awarding degrees and landing placements to students is not their only responsibility, but providing them safety and security should be their top priority. The government should act tough on violations of standard operating procedures for safety and security of students, especially girls. There should be regular audits of security on campuses. Stringent laws and strict punishment, including hefty penalties and even jail term, for violators would go a long way in preventing such misadventures.

Ramesh K Dhiman, Chandigarh

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Helpline for students

The administration should guide students on how they can avoid such untoward situations. There should be a helpline (email or mobile number) to redress students’ grievances related to cybernetics.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

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A wake-up call for institutions

The recent case of Chandigarh University should be a lesson to other institutions. The government should take steps such as issuing regular circulars to wardens regarding students’ privacy, taking stringent action against those indulging in such illegal practices, holding awareness sessions for girl students on cyber safety, facilitating regular visits by the woman police to hostels, etc.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

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Install emergency call boxes

University and college authorities need to have a system to track crimes on their campuses. They can take the help of the police to ensure better safety of students. Installing emergency call boxes on campuses will be a good step. It is everyone’s responsibility to take measures to protect students and make campuses a safe place for them.

Anita K Tandon, Mundi Kharar

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Form committees

Stringent action should be taken against those involved in such crimes. Educational institutions should form committees, comprising women teachers and wardens, to identify structural shortcomings in hostel washrooms and to keep a watch on suspicious activities of students and staff to prevent such incidents in future.

RPS Chopra, Chandigarh

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Focus on privacy of students

Hostel rooms should have attached bathrooms. If this is not possible, the authorities should ensure foolproof security to protect students’ privacy. While providing common facilities to students, the authorities should ensure stress-free and safe environment. Women residents of hostels should be made aware of possible threats and how to tackle them.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma

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Protect privacy of girl students

The incident at a private university has raised questions over the safety of girls in hostels. Institutions should make sure rooms and common facilities provided to girl students are safe and secure. Had the washrooms at the university had proper doors, breach of girl students’ privacy wouldn’t have been possible.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

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Involve pupils in hostel management

The following measures need to be explored to regain the trust of hostel girls. There is a need to review the existing system of hostel management, remove communication gaps, involve girls in the matters of hostel management and to make necessary structural changes to ensure students’ safety and privacy.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

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Much depends on investigation by SIT

Let’s hope that SIT fairly investigates the video ‘leak’ case and ensures that justice is delivered to affected students. A fair investigation will help the university in regaining its reputation and winning back students’ trust.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

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Amdn needs to take strict measures

While sending their wards to hostels or to paying guest accommodation, the parents must ensure that these are safe to protect their privacy. Only one girl be allowed to use a washroom at a time. Unless the government takes harsh measures against people concerned, we can’t ensure the safety of our girls in such places.

Savita Kuthiala

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Student-friendly approach needed

Educational institutions must ensure safety and security of students living on their campuses. The CCTV system should cover each and every important corner. A sub-committee of senior teachers should be formed to hear students’ grievances relating to sexual harassment and resolve these sympathetically. Such cases must be resolved immediately and perpetrators punished. Discipline must be maintained at any cost. Students should be given lessons in moral education. Teachers need to have a student-friendly approach so that the latter can discuss their problems.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

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Create awareness on personal privacy

Creating awareness among students on personal privacy is the prime responsibility of university wardens, who are supposed to work for the welfare and well-being of pupils. In fact, wardens are eye and ears of students and they must know what is happening in their hostels. At the same time, the government must create social awareness through newspapers on privacy laws. Laws be strictly enforced to deter those breaching privacy of others.

Col TBS Bedi (retd), Mohali

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Provide foolproof safety to girls

After the recent incident, many girl students left their hostels in fear of a possible breach of privacy. The university and college authorities should make sure that no such shameful act is repeated. Indeed, it is the prime duty of the authorities to provide foolproof safety to girl students. The wardens must be professionals. Whosoever is involved in the video leak incident be harshly punished.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

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Monitor hostel residents’ activities

There is a need for enhanced vigilance at all stages while constructing a building, so that no one can breach others’ privacy. Authorities should come up with stringent rules to prevent such incidents. Strict checks should be implemented while employing staff, especially security personnel, to prevent infiltration of criminals in educational set-ups. Regular monitoring of hostel residents’ activities by wardens can help prevent such incidents. Girls should personally check for any hidden cameras in hostel accommodation.

Bubby Soin

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Deploy woman guard outside bathroom

The university authorities need to make foolproof arrangements to prevent a repeat of such incidents. A woman guard should be deployed near each common washroom and no girl student be allowed to carry her mobile phone into or near it. Women must remind themselves to be extremely careful at such places.

Yash Khetarpal, Panchkula

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Wardens need to be more active

The authorities need to increase surveillance on their respective premises by installing CCTV cameras in classrooms, canteens and corridors. The breach of privacy in the sensitive places like washrooms be made impossible by ensuring that there are no creeks in doors or hidden cameras. It is better to make regular inspections and counter checks by well-trained teams on a weekly basis. Hostel wardens need to be more active.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

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Authorities liable for untoward incidents

University, college and school authorities should exercise strictness, especially in hostels. Wardens should perform their duties religiously. The perpetrators of video leak should be awarded stringent punishment. The authorities’ role is very important in maintaining a healthy atmosphere in educational institutions and they should be liable for any untoward incidents.

Opinder Kaur Sekhon, Chandigarh

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Take prompt action on complaints

The recent video leak case was unique because an insider, and most shockingly a girl student, is one of the suspects. In such a case, there is little that can be expected from the authorities, rather all vulnerable persons should be asked to keep their eyes and ears open and report anything fishy. A prompt action on complaints is the responsibility of the authorities.

Sapna Sharda, Chandigarh

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Hostels for boys, girls should be at distance

Although the police have arrested four persons in the video leak case, the authorities should take stringent measures to prevent such incidents. Boys and girls’ hostels should be at some distance. Entrance, corridors and staircases should be under CCTV vigil. Wardens should keep an eye on the activities of students.

Sukhwant Bhullar, Chandigarh

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QUESTION

Chandigarh has climbed from 66th position in 2021 to 12th spot this year in Swachh Survekshan. How can the city, which was ranked 2 in 2016, regain its glory and figure among top three cleanest cities of the country?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to [email protected]