Jadavpur University to form committee for expanding CCTV surveillance on campus

Kolkata: Jadavpur University (JU) will soon form a committee to draft a proposal for increasing CCTV surveillance across its campuses and hostels, officiating vice-chancellor (V-C) Bhaskar Gupta announced on Monday.

“We need more CCTV cameras. Without them, it is difficult to identify culprits and understand incidents. UGC rules require CCTV to prevent ragging but we are facing even more serious incidents. We must enhance surveillance,” Gupta said. The V-C acknowledged the financial constraints of installing cameras across the vast campus. “A committee will draft a detailed proposal to submit to the government. We hope the government will understand the necessity and support us,” he added.

A similar committee was formed in 2023 after a first-year student died due to ragging in the Main Hostel. Following this, 26 CCTV cameras were installed in key areas, including both campuses, hostel gates and the Main Hostel. However, some members of that committee, including the chairperson, have retired, making it necessary to form a new one. “The new committee will be formed within a few days,” Gupta stated. He added: “I believe the entire campus needs CCTV but the committee will decide. UGC rules suggest cameras in hostel corridors, but earlier, we could only install them at entry points. Some areas have repeatedly been reported for illegal or inappropriate activities and we will prioritise them.” The announcement came after deputations were submitted by the West Bengal College and University Teachers’ Association (WBCUPA), the Sara Bangla Trinamool Siksha Bandhu Samiti and Jadavpur University’s Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), demanding CCTV coverage across JU, including hostels and the Salt Lake campus. They also called for stronger security and for the V-C to express regret publicly for the March 1 incident, when leftist and ultra-leftist students assaulted teachers and Education minister Bratya Basu. Condemning the violence, Gupta said: “This is unacceptable. It has no place in a civilised society. We condemn it both personally and institutionally.”

WBCUPA vice-president Selim Box Mondal called the decision a ‘moral victory’ and vowed to continue the movement for other demands.