NEW DELHI: Integration of surveillance systems under Smart Cities Mission (SCM) with police operations has enhanced evidence-based policing and the introduction of smart classrooms has led to an increase in overall enrolment in schools, two separate reports have said.
The reports by IIM-Bangalore professors, which were among 50 national-level impact assessment studies commissioned by the government, have also flagged shortcomings in the existing practices. The impact assessment of SCM was being conducted as the flagship mission, launched in 2015, drawing to an end with roughly 10% of the projects stuck in delays.
The two studies were released on Thursday. In an official statement by the housing and urban affairs ministry on Friday, 93 cities across India have installed over 59,802 CCTV cameras and emergency call boxes with real-time monitoring systems through Integrated Command and Control Centers (ICCCs) under the Union government’s SCM.
“The implementation of smart surveillance systems has reduced instances of harassment, assault and other crimes in areas with robust safety measures. Women in these three cities reported increased confidence in assessing public spaces,” the statement said, citing the reports.
The report also recommended that the ICCCs improve data collection, monitoring and reporting mechanisms divided across different zones. “Currently there is a gap between the number of cases which request ICCC for the camera footage and out of those only less than 50% of the requests are fulfilled,” the report said. In the improved scenario, the authors suggested that ICCCs should target to provide footage for crimes in 75% of such cases.
{{/usCountry}}The report also recommended that the ICCCs improve data collection, monitoring and reporting mechanisms divided across different zones. “Currently there is a gap between the number of cases which request ICCC for the camera footage and out of those only less than 50% of the requests are fulfilled,” the report said. In the improved scenario, the authors suggested that ICCCs should target to provide footage for crimes in 75% of such cases.
{{/usCountry}}The authors, a group of IIM professors, relied on on-site visits to three cities Chennai, Nagpur and Tumakuru and used secondary data from all smart cities.
The report noted that smart city initiatives focusing on security and surveillance in Nagpur, Chennai and Tumakuru have led to fostering a heightened sense of safety among the city’s populace. The authors also quoted Nagpur Police Department data that suggested the presence of CCTV cameras led to a significant reduction in crimes against women, with reported incidents of harassment and assault decreasing by 14% in 2022.
Smart classrooms
Under the SCM, 71 cities have developed 9,433 smart classrooms in 2,398 government schools. As part of the assessment released on Thursday, a 22% increase in overall enrolment was noted per the data reported by 19 cities between 2015-16 and 2023-24. The percentage of female students has increased substantially over the same period, from 20.82% (reported by 40 cities) to 27.38% (reported by 51 cities).
However, the report said data gaps, especially regarding gender parity and socio-economic backgrounds, highlight the need for more comprehensive data collection. In their report, they flagged the issue of inconsistent data reporting, socioeconomic variability, and logistical issues in data collection.
They also recommended maintaining detailed records, standardising data collection procedures, enhancing teacher training, and fostering a collaborative environment for feedback. They emphasised continuous monitoring, detailed data collection, and tailored interventions are necessary to address existing disparities and optimise the benefits of smart classroom initiatives.
The authors conducted detailed city-level analyses of Ajmer (Rajasthan), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and Tumakuru (Karnataka).
The report said training for teachers improved their comfort and preference for using smart classroom facilities, with senior secondary teachers showing the highest comfort levels, as compared with others. Based on their interaction, the authors said teachers generally agree that the smart classroom initiative was improving the learning experiences and student attendance across select smart cities of the country.
They further said digital libraries in cities such as Raipur and Tumakuru provided essential educational resources and supported preparations of competitive exams for students.