New varsity advisory, SOP for union rooms state colleges
The Statesman | 10 July 2025
In the aftermath of the recent unrest at South Calcutta Law College, the University of Calcutta is preparing to issue a comprehensive advisory to its 170 affiliated colleges, mandating heightened campus security measures and administrative oversight, officials said today.
According to university sources, the advisory will call for the installation of adequate CCTV surveillance systems across all colleges, proper maintenance of student attendance registers, and detailed records of campus entry and exit times for students. Colleges will also be required to report the operational status of their student union rooms. Additionally, the advisory will emphasise the need for training security personnel stationed at college campuses to ensure effective vigilance. “This advisory is aimed at ensuring student safety in all affiliated institutions. It will be circulated to the colleges shortly,” a senior university official said. Meanwhile, the West Bengal government is also drafting a standard operating procedure (SOP) to regulate the use of student union rooms in all state-run colleges and universities.
The move follows a Calcutta High Court order directing a temporary closure of all union rooms amid rising concerns over alleged unauthorised access and student unrest. State education minister Bratya Basu stated that the state government has already consulted legal experts regarding the SOP. “The SOP will specify who can access the union rooms, what activities can be conducted there, and other operational protocols,” Basu told the Press. “We have asked our legal team to draft the SOP based on the high court’s directives. Once finalised, we will submit it to the court after discussions with the chief secretary,” he added.
On the subject of student union elections, the education minister said the state is ready to conduct them once the court issues its order. “There has been no court order yet on student elections. Once we receive that, we are fully prepared to proceed,” Basu said. The measures come amid ongoing scrutiny of student politics and campus safety in West Bengal following several incidents of violence and allegations of outsider involvement in union activities.