UGC has recently prepared ‘Guidelines on Safety of Students on and off Campuses of Higher Educational Institutions’ and a letter from the UGC secretary dated 17.4.15 requests all HEIs to implement these guidelines.
Some of the points in the guidelines include manual frisking/ frisking through metal detectors of the belongings of students/ visitors, biometric attendance in institute and hostels, fortification of the institution through, ‘a fence of spiralling barbed wires can be surmounted on the wall so that unauthorized access to the infrastructure is prevented effectively.’ Further, guidelines talks about setting up of police outposts in the campuses. These guidelines clearly smack of motive to curtail student mobility, foster moral policing in campuses and attack democratic student movement.
We would like to state that all HEIs in the Country have well established internal mechanism to deal with ‘safety’ of the students and others sections. The only way by which ‘safety’ can be ensured in our campuses is by strengthening the democratic processes within the campus. On the contrary the guidelines prepared by the UGC will act to further erode the campus democracy. We also understand that at a time when fresh round of academic reforms in the name of CBCS/RUSA are all set to destroy our Public Education, ruling class wants to curtail the students’ protests through such designs.
Central Executive Committee of Students’ Federation of India rejects the UGC guidelines and warns the ruling classes that any tampering with the democratic rights of the student community, will have to face militant actions at the ground.
Released by
Dr. V Sivadasan Ritabrata Banerjee
President General Secretary
More than 3000 people have died and thousands have been injured in a devastating earthquake which has hit the neighbouring Nepal. Bordering areas in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have also been affected by the tremors, with more than 60 people having died and hundreds being injured.
Central Executive committee of Stduents’ Federation of India expresses grief over the loss of human lives caused by the quake and stands with the thousands of people who are struggling to rebuild their lives afresh.
The scale of devastation is so huge that it requires humanitarian intervention from all corners of the world. At this juncture it becomes important that all those who stand for humanity step up to help in the ongoing relief operations.
The Central Executive Committee of SFI calls upon all its Units to start fund collection drive for the Earth quake relief. We also appeal to the student community across the country and other sections to help generously in the fund drive.
Released by
Dr. V Sivadasan Ritabrata Banerjee
President General Secretary
The student movement in Himachal Pradesh is going through yet another phase of repression at the hand of ruling classes. 2 days ago, police lashed out an all-out attack over the students who were marching to Vidhan Sabha at the call of SFI demanding, increased budgetary allocation, roll back of fee hike, students’ union elections and roll back of the disastrous RUSA/CBCS. 54 students were injured in the brutal police lathi charge, while the entire leadership was put behind the bars. Policemen in plain clothes attacked the state office of SFI, ransacked the office and arrested all those who were present there, including a 65 year old man. Al those who were arrested had to go through brutal physical torture inside the police station. Since the last 2 days, state machinery has been smelling the blood of student activists, forcing more than 100 student activists to go underground.
Student movement in HP is going through a difficult financial situation as well, with the high medical costs for those who have been injured in the police attack. The struggle in Himachal Pradesh is linked to the national struggle against the commercialisation and privatization of the public education. In such a context, it becomes the duty of the student movement in various parts of the country to stand up in solidarity with the Himachal student movement and support it in every possible way.
We call upon all our state units to initiate “Himachal Pradesh struggle fund” drive and go among the students, as well the wider masses. We also appeal the wider democratic minded sections to contribute in this struggle fund. Every single step of support for the HP student movement will strengthen the national movement in defence of Public education.
Released by
Dr. V. Sivadasan (President)
Ritabrata Banerjee MP (General Secretary)