Patna, Dec. 11: Rising incidents of eve-teasing, group clash and vandalism on campus has forced the Patna University (PU) to take measures to tighten security arrangements at all colleges under its ambit.
As the first step towards revamping its security arrangements, the PU administration is planning to hire the services of private security agencies and also install closed-circuit cameras (CCTVs) at major points on the campus and in colleges.
PU proctor Kriteshwar Prasad told The Telegraph: “The university administration is planning to have a centralised security system on university campus and in colleges falling under the varsity.”
Private security agencies with the best profile will be selected and on the basis of the requirement of colleges, the personnel will be deployed. Moreover, CCTV cameras will be installed at major points, including entrance gate of university office, VC’s chamber, and principals’ offices, the proctor said.
Prasad further said: “Depending upon the atmosphere on campus and students’ strength, we have asked colleges to send their requirement for security personnel. The institutes will have to bear the expenses of the security personnel deployed on their premises. As per the PU administration plan, the security personnel will be deployed round-the-clock in three shifts.”
Explaining the nitty-gritty of security arrangements, the PU proctor said: “According to our plan, nine to ten security personnel will be deployed on the university’s main campus. Similarly, three security personnel will be deployed on the campus of Directorate of Distance Education (DDE) and six security personnel will be deployed at Patna College.”
The varsity has also decided to make special security arrangements at girls’ colleges and girls’ hostels.
Women security guard will be deployed at girls’ college and hostels along with as male security personnel.
In Patna University, there are two girls’ colleges — Patna Women’s College and Magadh Mahila College — which in recent times have witnessed some incidents of eve-teasing.
Moreover, girls’ hostels on PU campus such as Ganga Chatravas, Sir Ganesh Dutta Girls’ Hostel and Mother Teresa Minority Girls’ Hostel will have both women and male security personnel to ensure safety of the hostellers.
In the past few months, colleges under Patna University have seen a series of incidents involving group clash and eve-teasing.
On Saturday, a youth was beaten up on campus by some outsiders. He had come to the varsity with his sisters who wanted to get some certificate. Some boys from outside teased the girl and the youth protested. On this, the group of outsiders beat up the brother and fled the campus.
In thr beginning of this academic year, a first-year student of geography department at Patna College, Mithun Kumar Singh, was physically assaulted by some second-year students in name of ragging.
On September 10, some former students of BBA department at BN College allegedly eve-teased a girl student of first-year geography department. When the girl’s classmates opposed, the former students beat them up.
The biggest hurdle for the PU administration in its security upgrade plan is funds arrangement.
Prasad said: “We will seek help from the state government and the education department’s in arranging funds as the entire process will require huge amount of money. Also from this year, we are planning to increase the fund allocation for upgrading security at colleges and at the university level.”
