The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has amended its bye-law mandating schools to install high-resolution CCTV Cameras with audio-visual facility at all the entry and exit points. According to the new regulations, the cameras must be placed at all key locations, including lobbies, corridors, staircases, all the classrooms, labs, library, canteen area, store room, playground and other common areas. Toilets and washrooms are exempted from this rule due to privacy concerns. The board has specified that these cameras must be installed with real-time audio-visual.
Furthermore, the board has specified that these cameras must be equipped with a storage device capable of holding footage for at least 15 days. The cameras should ensure that a backup of a minimum of 15 days is preserved, which can be accessed by authorities if required. The board has directed all schools to strictly adhere to this provision in letter and spirit for the safety of school children.
What does the official notice say?
"As per the Manual on Safety and Security of children in Schools, NCPCR, “School Safety" has been defined as creating a safe environment for children, starting from their homes to their schools and back. This includes safety from any kind of abuse, violence, psycho-social issues, disasters: natural and man-made, fire, and transportation. Emotional safety is especially important because it is often difficult for teachers and parents to detect emotional problems and difficulties in children. Bullying can cause victimised students to suffer from lower self-esteem and daily stress about their well-being,'' reads the official notice.
''Children require a healthy and supportive environment to grow and develop. Children of our country have constitutional guarantee of the fundamental rights to live with dignity and to have access to education in an environment that is safe, protective and conducive for their growth and development. Everyone in school has a role to play in ensuring good safety, healthy and secure environment within the school; be it teachers, special needs assistants, visitors and contractors and students themselves'', it further added.
Safety of students is one of the paramount responsibilities of a school and ensure that the students get a safe and cohesive eco-system in the school. Therefore, to ensure the safety of students, the board has decided to amend the Chapter 4 (Physical Infrastructure) of Affiliation Bye Laws-2018. "The school should install high resolution CCTV Cameras with audio visual facility at all the entry and exit points of the school, lobbies, corridors, Staircases, all the classrooms, labs, library, Canteen Area, store room, playground and other common areas except toilets and washrooms with real time audiovisual recording. These CCTV Cameras must be equipped with a storage device with the capacity of holding footage of at-least 15 days. It shall be ensured that a backup of a minimum 15 days be preserved, which may be accessed by the authorities, if required'', the board said.
