I-card monitoring on campus; several colleges step up security, Modern College takes the lead

The Mumbai terror attack has put colleges in Pune on their guard, with reports that the terrorists had identity cards of reputed colleges in their possession.

Now principals and heads of various colleges in Pune feel that the process of issuing identity cards should be made more rigorous. Some colleges are also beefing up security on campus while others are strictly screening students and visitors to the campuses.

Dr Gajanan Ekbote, chairman of the Progressive Education Society that runs the Modern College said, “The I-card issuing process, in general, is not foolproof. However, in Modern, we issue an I-card to the student only once at the time of admission. Also, we ensure he/she takes the I-card within the stipulated time period only. Our process of issuing duplicate I-cards, in case the original is lost, is also very tedious.”

He said that as a precaution, the number of security guards on all campuses of Modern College will be increased by 25 per cent Monday onwards. “The total amount we spend on security guards is about Rs 1 lakh per month. Adequate security guards are a must not just during extreme cases like a terror attack, but also to keep a check on thefts that are rampant within college campuses,” Ekbote added.

P A Inamdar, president of Maharashtra Cosmopolitan Education Society (MCES), too agreed that the process of issuing I-card needs to undergo a change. “Experts must suggest ways of making it foolproof. Today, it is a professor or a reader from the college who overlooks the process,” he said. Inamdar suggested that the civic body or the city police play a role in issuing I-cards to students.

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