Several research scholars and hostel inmates of IIT Madras in Chennai have alleged harassment and violation of their privacy by vigilance officers during checks conducted in their rooms, a charge denied by the dean of students.
The hostel residents, both men and women, alleged that officers barged into rooms, insulted them and clicked pictures without consent and their behaviour violated the students' right to privacy and dignity.
The dean of students, M.S. Sivakumar, said IIT Madras had received complaints from students and the vigilance officers had been apprised of the issues and told not to click photographs.
He said the charges did not reveal the whole picture, adding checks were conducted by ex-servicemen trained to deal with such issues.
"Vigilance officers are the ones tasked to enforce hostel rules and check for violations. We don't know if we can call it harassment or enforcement," he told PTI.
A woman research scholar, who did not wish to be named, alleged that vigilance officials barged into rooms, pulled things out and called them names for their personal choices.
"We are all adults...it is really demeaning to experience all this. We might have a lot of stuff that we do not want others to see. It need not even be prohibited things. It is a clear violation of our right to privacy and dignity," she said.
An informal report, a compilation of harassment faced by students on campus, initiated by the students last year, had alleged rampant "moral policing" by security personnel, non-academic staff, faculty and fellow students.
The survey had also said IIT Madras students were targeted for the kind of clothes they wore and public display of affection, among others.
A male post-graduate student, who resided in one of the 20 hostels of IIT Madras, alleged the fines imposed for violation of rules were "arbitrary" and ranged from Rs 2,000 to Rs 20,000.
"Students have no idea about the slabs and it has not been put up anywhere on the campus," he said.
A woman PhD scholar alleged that vigilance teams took note of girl students visiting boys in their hostels and conducted checks even if they went there during permitted hours.
Hostel rules stated that girl students were permitted to visit male college mates in their rooms only for academic purposes, provided they deposited their ID cards with the security staff and signed in the visitors' notebook.
However, Sivakumar said vigilance officers did not conduct checks in every room, but only random checks.
"If a girl is found in a boy's room, the officers just check if she is an IIT Madras student. Besides, guidelines on fines applicable for violations are available with wardens," he said.
Suggesting specific rules for each section of students, Sivakumar said that students at IIT Madras ranged from 17-year-olds to research scholars aged around 35. “Perhaps, the present rules seem unreasonable to those in the older age bracket,” he said.
"It is tough to have one rule for undergraduates and another for PhD scholars unless hostels are different. We are yet to be at that level to afford separate hostels for research scholars. When that happens, we will implement rules that are more targeted," he said.
