In a misguided attempt to ensure ‘safety’ on campus following the outrage over the sexual assault of a student at Chennai’s Anna University, a hostel under the university has increased the curfew hours for resident students. According to a circular issued by the School of Architecture and Planning (SAP) Hostel, all students from first year to final year are required to be inside the hostel by 7 pm starting Thursday, December 26. The previous curfew had been set at 8.30 pm.
The decision to revise the curfew was reportedly taken during a review meeting chaired by the University Registrar, with a newly formed panel tasked with investigating the issue and ensuring security. “If any students plan to enter late due to academic commitments, the students should get prior permission from the warder with their parents’ acceptance for the delay 24 hours before the late entry,” the circular read.
An engineering student told TNM that while they were also intimated about the meeting, as of 5.30 pm on December 27, only the architecture hostel students had received the circular. An architecture student pointed out that although the increase in curfew may seem trivial to outsiders, the 90-minute window that was previously available to them had allowed them to engage in extracurricular activities such as dance, theatre, and sports.
“The college hours go up to 5 pm. It was because the curfew was at 8.30 pm that we could take a small break after class and join these activities. Moreover, the spirit of Anna University lies in its vibrant interactions, which mainly happen after dinner, when the campus is most lively,” they added.
It is important to note that while curfews create an illusion of improved safety, there is little evidence to suggest that they can prevent incidents like sexual assault, which can occur regardless of time restrictions. Critics have argued that curfews can also be overly restrictive, infringing upon students’ freedom and autonomy.
The university is also reportedly implementing several other ‘security’ measures, such as making ID cards compulsory at all times for students and empowering security personnel to verify the cards. One of the students who spoke to TNM shared a communication they received from the university, which directed them to focus on “proactive measures” rather than sharing posts or stories that might “escalate the situation or affect the mental well-being of those involved.” The college is also planning to increase the security presence, organise self-defence training, and mental health awareness programmes for the students.
The measures follow an incident on December 23, when a man named Gnanasekaran allegedly took a female student to an abandoned road and sexually assaulted her. According to THE First Information Report (FIR), the accused filmed the student and her male friend together inside the Anna University campus and threatened to leak the footage to the dean and the couple’s parents if they did not obey his orders. A case was registered on December 24 under Section 64 (punishment for rape) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on the survivor’s complaint, and the accused was arrested on December 25 by the Greater Chennai Police.
