DU Orders Campus Safety Audits: What Colleges Must Do Before October 12

The University of Delhi (DU) has directed its colleges, departments and hostels to conduct detailed campus safety audits and submit reports by October 12, 2026. The move aims to identify security gaps and improve safety arrangements, particularly for women students.

The university has asked college principals, department heads, hostel wardens and other officials to inspect their premises and report areas that need immediate attention. The review will cover poorly lit places, CCTV cameras, blocked views, damaged lighting and other infrastructure-related concerns.

According to reports, the deadline for submitting the detailed safety reports is October 12 at 5 pm. The findings are expected to help the university identify problems and decide which improvements require urgent action.

Why Has Delhi University Ordered Campus Safety Audits?

The decision comes amid growing concerns about women’s safety around university campuses and student demands for better security.

Recent incidents and protests have brought attention to poorly lit areas, unsafe stretches near colleges and gaps in surveillance. Students have called for better lighting, improved security arrangements and safer routes around educational institutions.

Following an online meeting with college principals, deans, directors, department heads and hostel officials, DU Proctor Manoj Kumar Singh issued directions for a comprehensive assessment of campus safety.

The purpose is to collect information about existing problems, identify areas needing improvement and help the authorities plan suitable measures. The university has also discussed steps that may require coordination with the Delhi Police and other government authorities. 

What Must DU Colleges Do Before October 12?

Colleges and other university units have been asked to examine their premises carefully and prepare reports on safety-related problems.

1. Identify Dark Spots and Safety Blind Spots

College authorities must identify poorly lit areas and places where visibility is blocked. These may include campus corners, pathways, entrances, hostel surroundings and other areas that need closer inspection.

Officials have also been asked to check whether overgrown trees or other obstacles reduce visibility. Trimming such trees may help improve lighting and visibility in vulnerable areas.

2. Repair Non-Functional Lights

Colleges must identify broken or non-working lights and take steps to repair them. Additional streetlights may also be needed in areas where existing lighting is insufficient.

Proper lighting can help students see their surroundings more clearly, especially when travelling across campus during early morning or evening hours.

3. Install CCTV Cameras at Suitable Locations

The university has asked authorities to review CCTV coverage and identify places where surveillance is inadequate. Additional cameras may be installed at strategic locations to improve monitoring.

However, CCTV cameras are only one part of campus safety. They must be supported by working lights, suitable security arrangements and a clear process for responding to complaints.

4. Inspect Buildings, Colleges and Hostels

The safety review is not limited to surveillance. Officials have also been asked to assess infrastructure concerns across colleges, departments and hostels.

Authorities should coordinate with the university’s Engineering Department to identify urgent repair work and report problems that require attention.

5. Submit a Detailed Report by the Deadline

College principals, department heads and hostel officials must compile information about identified safety concerns and submit their reports by October 12.

The reports are intended to help the university understand where improvements are required. The deadline is for submitting the assessment; it should not be interpreted as confirmation that every repair or installation must be completed by that date. 

What Other Women’s Safety Measures Has DU Discussed?

Along with infrastructure checks, the university has discussed additional measures to strengthen safety on and around its campuses.

More Police Presence Near Colleges and Hostels

The university has discussed increasing police presence near colleges and hostels. Dedicated surveillance teams positioned at strategic locations have also been proposed to improve monitoring and response.

Pink Booths and Emergency Support

The university has discussed providing sufficient pink police booths for women and improving the functioning of the Vamika police van, which is used for rapid response.

Women’s safety helpline numbers 1091 and 112 have also been highlighted for prominent display and wider awareness across campus premises. Students should use the appropriate emergency service if they face an immediate threat.

Gender-Sensitisation Workshops

Colleges have been asked to organise gender-sensitisation workshops to encourage respectful behaviour and improve awareness of women’s safety.

Seven-Day Self-Defence Course

A seven-day self-defence crash course for students has also been recommended in coordination with the Delhi Police. The aim is to help students learn basic techniques and understand how to seek assistance in unsafe situations.

These measures are part of a wider effort to improve safety. Their implementation will depend on the action taken by the relevant university, college and police authorities. 

What Does the October 12 Deadline Mean for Colleges?

The deadline requires the concerned authorities to identify problems and submit a clear record of the safety issues found on their premises.

A useful audit report should explain where a problem exists, what kind of risk it creates and what action may be required. For example, a college may report a broken streetlight near a hostel, a pathway with poor visibility or a location with insufficient CCTV coverage.

The university can use this information to prioritise urgent repairs and plan further improvements. The reports may also help officials assess safety concerns across different campuses rather than relying only on individual complaints.

The deadline does not automatically mean all safety concerns will be resolved by October 12. The actual improvement will depend on follow-up inspections, funding, repairs and implementation by the responsible authorities.

How Could the Decision Affect DU Students?

The safety audit could help students by bringing attention to problems they face while moving around colleges, departments and hostels.

Better lighting may improve visibility after dark. More suitable CCTV coverage could support monitoring, while improved police presence and emergency information may help students know where to seek assistance.

For women students in particular, the review could provide a way for colleges to identify unsafe locations and plan improvements. However, the effectiveness of the measures will depend on how quickly the identified problems are addressed and whether the arrangements continue to work over time.

Students can also report specific concerns to their college administration or hostel authorities so that the problems can be considered during the assessment.

What Happens Next?

The immediate priority is for college principals, department heads and hostel authorities to complete their inspections and submit the required reports by October 12, 2026.

After the reports are collected, the university and relevant authorities will need to review the findings, identify urgent concerns and determine the action required. Repairs, additional lighting, CCTV improvements and other safety measures may then be taken up according to the findings and available arrangements.

For now, the key point is that DU has ordered a detailed safety assessment and set a deadline for reporting problems. The next important step will be the implementation of the improvements identified during these audits.

Conclusion

Delhi University’s campus safety audit puts a clear deadline on identifying security and infrastructure problems across colleges, departments and hostels. Authorities have been asked to check dark spots, repair non-functional lights, review CCTV coverage and report urgent concerns by October 12.

The university has also discussed wider measures, including police presence, women’s safety helplines, awareness workshops and self-defence training. The success of this initiative will depend not only on submitting reports but also on taking timely action to address the problems identified.