Quick answer
CBSE requires affiliated schools to install high-resolution CCTV cameras with audio-visual recording at entry and exit points, lobbies, corridors, staircases, classrooms, labs, library, canteen, store room, playground and other common areas, excluding toilets and washrooms. Under clause 4.7.10 of its Affiliation Bye-Laws, added in July 2025, footage must be stored for at least 15 days.
- CBSE first directed schools to install CCTV at all vulnerable points in its September 2017 safety circular; the 2025 amendment made detailed coverage part of the bye-laws.
- Plan cameras for gates, reception, every corridor and staircase, classrooms, labs, canteen, bus loading zone, parking and the sports ground perimeter.
- Display CCTV signage, restrict and log footage access, write a policy for parent requests, and treat recordings of children as sensitive personal data.
June 20, 20268 min readCCTV Installation
- 2017CBSE circular directing CCTV at all vulnerable points (Circular 19/2017)
- 4.7.10Bye-law clause added in July 2025 requiring audio-visual CCTV
- 15 daysMinimum footage storage and backup under clause 4.7.10
- 0Cameras allowed in toilets and washrooms under the CBSE clause
1. CBSE CCTV Requirements
In September 2017, CBSE directed affiliated schools to install CCTV cameras at all vulnerable areas and points and to keep them functional at all times (CBSE Circular No. 19/2017). In July 2025, the Board went further and added clause 4.7.10 to Chapter 4 of its Affiliation Bye-Laws (CBSE notification, 21 July 2025). Key requirements:
- High-resolution CCTV cameras with audio-visual recording
- Coverage at all entry and exit points, lobbies, corridors and staircases
- Coverage in all classrooms, labs, library, canteen area, store room, playground and other common areas
- No cameras in toilets and washrooms
- A storage device able to hold footage for at least 15 days, with a minimum 15-day backup that authorities can access if required
Areas such as parking and the bus loading zone are not named in the clause but are worth covering for safety.
2. Why School CCTV Goes Beyond Compliance
Schools that treat CCTV purely as a compliance checkbox miss its broader benefits:
- Bullying prevention: Corridor cameras deter and document bullying incidents
- Staff accountability: Professional conduct improves when staff know footage is available
- Parent trust: Schools that proactively share their CCTV coverage attract more admissions
- Incident evidence: Accidents, fights, theft incidents can be reviewed objectively
- Asset protection: Laboratory equipment, computers and musical instruments are common theft targets
3. Which School Areas Need CCTV
- Main gate (essential): Full-width coverage capturing all entrants. Number plate capture for vehicles.
- Reception / admin block: All visitor interactions recorded
- Corridors (all floors): Dome cameras every 15–20 metres
- Staircases: One camera at each landing
- Canteen/cafeteria: Cover food service counter and seating area
- Computer lab / science lab: Equipment theft and incident recording
- Bus loading zone: Integrate with bus tracking — record student boarding and alighting
- Parking: Staff and visitor vehicles
- Sports ground perimeter: For large schools
4. Privacy and Legal Compliance in Schools
- Never install in: Toilets, washrooms or changing rooms. Classrooms are on the CBSE list of areas to cover, so CBSE schools should not leave them out; state-board schools should check their own board's rules.
- Always display: "CCTV in Operation" signage at every camera location
- Footage access: Restrict to Principal, designated security officer. Log all access.
- Parent requests: Schools should have a written policy on whether and how parents can request footage review
- Data protection: Footage of children is personal data, and India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 sets specific obligations for children's data (Section 9, DPDP Act, 2023) — store it securely and share it only with authorised people
5. What Decides the Cost for Indian Schools
- Small primary school (up to 500 students, 12–16 cameras): the smallest budget — cost is driven mainly by camera count and storage
- Medium school (500–1,500 students, 20–32 cameras): more buildings mean more cameras, longer cable runs and extra storage
- Large senior secondary school (32–60 cameras): the largest budget — perimeter coverage, multiple recorders and longer footage retention add to the cost
6. DVM Techno School Installation Package
DVM Techno offers specialised school CCTV packages that include CBSE compliance documentation, camera placement planning, installation, and annual maintenance. We install and maintain CCTV systems for schools across Haryana. Contact us for a free site assessment and compliance audit.
Sources
- CBSE — Notification: Amendments in Chapter 4 of the Affiliation Bye-Laws 2018 w.r.t. safety in schools (2025)
- CBSE — Circular No. 19/2017: Safety of Children in Schools (2017)
- Ministry of Electronics and IT — The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (2023)
Frequently Asked Questions
When did CBSE first require CCTV in schools?
Which areas of a school are required to have CCTV coverage?
What decides the CCTV installation cost for an Indian primary school?
How does DVM Techno handle privacy compliance for school installations?
DVM Techno Team
Security & surveillance experts based in Haryana. DVM Techno installs CCTV systems across homes, offices, schools and factories in Delhi-NCR and Haryana.
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