The recent harassment and infiltration incident at the Indraprastha College for Women (IPCW), Delhi University, has brought forward several security concerns in women-only colleges, especially during college fests.
However, this is not the first time that men have tried to trespass into women's colleges of DU. Several similar incidents have taken place at Delhi University in the recent past. In 2020, a similar incident happened during Gargi College’s annual fest when a group of men entered the campus. The incident was followed by a series of protests.
Similarly, last year in October, men scaled the walls of Miranda House to enter the campus during the college’s Diwali fest. Students and alumni from these colleges share their experiences with the horrific events at the campus.
IP College
Ashwiti, a student of IP College of Women, DU, witnessed the events that took place on March 28 firsthand. “I was inside, I saw the men climbing walls and entering the campus. I saw people getting injured in the stampede and an ambulance being called for. When the college authorities are not trying to protect the students, we are bound to feel unsafe. Many people choose women-only colleges so they can study in a safer environment. What is the obsession of men trying to infiltrate women’s spaces?”
Ashwiti added that the events show incapability and neglect on the part of the college administration. The students are currently demanding that the principal of the institute step down.
Students say that though such activities are common during the fests, concerns are not just limited to this.
Miranda House
“There is some obsession with the students of Miranda House or any other women's college, a constant attempt to enter their personal spaces. Especially during college fests, when security concern becomes more pressing. It is not a new phenomenon, it has been going for ages but recently it has become rowdier in nature,” said Mukta Mitra, a former student of Miranda House who was there during the Diwali fest incident at the college last year.
“What is more disheartening is that after a few days, this issue will subside. Women colleges will cancel their fests instead of focusing and acting on the security concern at colleges. Fests are an integral part of our college experience and events like these can have a traumatising effect on us. If we think about our college life a few years later, these experiences will be prominent,” she added.
The students said that the environment inside these women’s colleges is meant to be liberating for the female students but instead, these events can alter one’s relationship with their college.
Gargi College
Ritika Singh, a former student of Gargi College, said “Not only during the fests, but the colleges need more security and gender sensitisation on a regular basis. We had police patrol around our campus but still, men were able to enter our space. It says a lot about how ignorant authorities are about the safety of the students.” Ritika was attending the fest at Gargi College, during which, the harrowing incident of men infiltrating the campus back in 2020 took place.
