Calcutta HC orders Bengal govt to bolster student safety on university campuses
Synopsis
Calcutta High Court has told the West Bengal government that CCTV cameras alone cannot guarantee student safety — and named Diamond Harbour Women's University for special security scrutiny. The ruling comes amid a string of campus violence incidents, including repeated clashes at SRFTI and SFI-ABVP confrontations at Jadavpur University, putting Bengal's academic institutions under judicial watch.
Key Takeaways
A Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court , comprising Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge and Justice Om Narayan Rai , directed the West Bengal government on 5 October 2026 to proactively ensure student safety on university campuses.
The court ruled that CCTV camera installations alone are insufficient and that a more active security framework is required.
Diamond Harbour Women's University was specifically flagged for special security attention by the Chief Justice.
Universities that have not yet submitted security reports to the court were asked to do so before the next hearing on 10 December .
Recent incidents include repeated clashes at SRFTI, Kolkata , and earlier confrontations between SFI and ABVP at Jadavpur University .
A Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court on Monday, 5 October 2026, directed the West Bengal government to take a more proactive role in ensuring the safety of students across university campuses in the state. The order came while the bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) that sought adequate security measures on university campuses statewide.
Key Observations by the Court
The Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge and Justice Om Narayan Rai, made clear that merely installing CCTV cameras — a step already taken by most universities — was insufficient. The court stressed that the state government must go beyond passive surveillance and adopt comprehensive, ground-level safety protocols.
The bench also underscored that universities must maintain a proper academic environment and must not allow any form of anarchy to take root on campuses. Chief Justice Ghuge specifically called for special security focus at Diamond Harbour Women's University, stating that lapses in security arrangements there would not be acceptable.
Status of University Reports
Several university authorities had already submitted security-related compliance reports to the court ahead of Monday's hearing. The majority of those reports cited the installation of CCTV cameras as the primary security measure. The Division Bench, however, found this response inadequate and reiterated the need for a more active and layered approach to campus security.
On Monday, the bench also sought similar security reports from universities that had not yet submitted their assessments. The next date of hearing has been fixed for 10 December.
Backdrop: Campus Violence Prompts Legal Action
The PIL has gained urgency against a backdrop of repeated incidents of campus unrest across West Bengal. Allegations of attacks by outsiders have surfaced at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata, where clashes reportedly broke out multiple times within a single week.
Earlier incidents at the iconic Jadavpur University (JU) campus involved clashes between the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), drawing widespread public attention to the deteriorating security climate at Bengal's premier academic institutions.
What Happens Next
The West Bengal government is now expected to submit a detailed action plan outlining steps beyond CCTV installation. Universities that have not yet filed their security reports face a court deadline ahead of the 10 December hearing. The court's close monitoring of this matter signals that judicial oversight of campus safety in Bengal is likely to intensify in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
Not just issuing blanket directives. With SFI-ABVP clashes at Jadavpur and repeated outsider intrusions at SRFTI already on record, the Bengal government cannot afford to treat this as routine compliance. Judicial monitoring of campus security is a last resort that should not have been necessary.
NationPress
5 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Calcutta High Court order regarding student safety in West Bengal?
The Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal government to ensure proactive student safety measures across all university campuses in the state, ruling that CCTV camera installations alone are not adequate. The order was passed on 5 October 2026 by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge and Justice Om Narayan Rai.
Why did the court say CCTV cameras are not enough?
Most university security reports submitted to the court cited only CCTV installations as safety measures. The bench found this passive approach insufficient to ensure actual student safety and called for more active, ground-level interventions including maintaining a proper academic environment and preventing anarchy on campuses.
Which university received special mention in the court's order?
Diamond Harbour Women's University was specifically cited by Chief Justice Ghuge, who stressed that there should be no lapses in security arrangements at that institution.
What campus violence incidents prompted this PIL?
The PIL follows a series of incidents including alleged attacks by outsiders at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata — where clashes reportedly broke out multiple times in a single week — and earlier clashes between the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at Jadavpur University.
When is the next hearing on campus safety in the Calcutta High Court?
The next hearing has been scheduled for 10 December. In the interim, universities that have not yet submitted their security reports have been asked to do so before that date.
