Minister for Higher Education and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge C.T. Ravi will hold a meeting with Vice-Chancellors of universities and officials of the Department of Higher Education in Bangalore either on December 31 or on January 5, 2013 to issue guidelines to be followed for safety of women on campuses of educational institutions.
The Minister told presspersons here on Saturday that all institutions should set up panels comprising women students, employees and teachers so that students who face harassment can approach it for help. The panel should meet at least once a week and ensure that the identity of complainants is protected If a complaint box is kept on all campuses, perhaps those not wanting to share their woes orally can drop the written complaint in it.
Mr. Ravi added that the meeting would discuss the need to provide safe travel facilities to and within the campus.
The Minister felt the need for moral education in the backdrop of the Delhi gang-rape incident. He said educational institutions should impart moral values among students by way of lectures at least once a week.
On whether moral education meant dress code for women, Minister Ravi said that men should change their mindset towards women. “That is moral education.”
On a query on Sowjanya murder case reported from near Dharmasthala, Mr. Ravi said that it was not a closed. He claimed that he had instructed the police not to sit on circumstantial evidences but ensure that the guilty are brought to book.
Mr. Ravi described the Delhi gang-rape incident as unfortunate and hoped that the Centre would frame laws to ensure that those found guilty in sexual assault cases are brought to book.
