'Transport for girl students big burden'

Though both the State government and the University Grants Commission (UGC) have provided a specific set of guidelines to be put in place by the universities towards gender sensitisation and safety of girl students, State-run universities, however, are faced with severe lack of infrastructural facilities to abide by the diktat.

On implementing the guidelines, varsities have cited lack of sufficient funds for providing transportation to off-campus students as it would lead to additional burden on their budgets.

Most vice chancellors have said that installation of CCTVs would not be a problem, as they have already placed it under the current year’s budget. However, providing transportation to students and research scholars would not be so feasible.

Bangalore University Vice Chancellor Thimmegowda said, barring provision of transportation, security components have been considered and would be implemented.
For Mysore University, providing separate transport system for post-graduate students may be ‘cumbersome’ as the university is in the heart of the city.

“We have already set up a committee based on the UGC guidelines and put in place additional security for safety of women. On installation of CCTVs, we are yet to take a call, as they are turning out to be expensive. The provision of transportation is a cumbersome issue within the city,” vice chancellor Rangappa said.

In Gulbarga University, the vice chancellor has said that most of the concerns for safety of women are being addressed immediately. “Earlier, there were concerns of insufficient lighting on the campus. Now, we are making all-out efforts to eradicate this,” he said.
Sources in the university, however, claim transportation facility would be a burden on their financial status.

In Hampi, the problem is of a different kind. It is the increasing number of bear attacks on the university premises that needs attention. “With huge acreage of campus abutting the bear conservatory forest, a lot of these wild creatures enter the campus scaring the students.

We have written to the Environment and Forest departments to address the issue and help us construct a boundary wall,” Hampi University VC Boralingaiah said.