CBSE's CCTV Mandate Angers Privacy Controversy Among Hyderabad Schools

Hyderabad's school community is coming out strongly against the recent decision made by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) that high-definition CCTV cameras equipped with audio-visual recording be placed in classrooms. Although the move is made in the interest of enhanced safety among the students, teachers and educators are opposing it as it trespasses upon privacy and impacts the learning environment.

According to the modified CBSE bylaws, schools are going to be required to fit real-time CCTV monitoring not only in corridors, libraries, and canteens but also inside classrooms and laboratories. The directive has been criticized by teachers and budget school administrations alike who complain about the directive being intrusive and expensive.

"Security must be maintained, but monitoring in classrooms gets in the way of day-to-day communication of the teachers with the students," said a teacher of a private school. "It may also lead to constant self-censorship, which works as a barrier to effective teaching."

Correspondent at Jain International School Dr Chandrasekhar had similar sentiments. "While observation would restrain bad behavior, excessive monitoring may destroy creativity and autonomy of the classrooms. There has to be a balanced approach," he continued.

Whereas other low-cost private schools also labelled the outrageous cost of putting up and sustaining high-tech CCTV equipment in all classrooms as a call for making the measure a non-starter for resource-poor schools,

M Uma Devi, principal of Shamshabad's Oasis School of Excellence, responded that her school never practices classroom recording. "We have fixed cameras outside the school for safety of students, but teaching in classrooms needs to be surveillance-free," she said.

Certain teachers requested CBSE to restrict monitoring only to non-academic spaces like entrance, staircases, and playgrounds so that footage will not be misused and sanctity of classrooms will be preserved.

As the debate rages on in Hyderabad, schools are waiting for the CBSE to announce a policy shift to balance student safety with education freedom and privacy.