TSS x Fore CSD
TSS x FORE CSD
The Safe Side, under it’s flagship campaign of #FreedomToFocus joint hands with the FORE School of Management through its Center for Sustainable Development (CSD), to conduct an 8-week live project dedicated to “Institutional Safety”.
The initiative focused on understanding institutional safety and its impact on participation, expression, and growth within academic and professional spaces.
By combining research and awareness-led campaigns, the project aimed to highlight how safe environments enable individuals to engage confidently and realise their full potential.
Institutional Safety
Institutional safety extends far beyond physical security. It encompasses psychological comfort, gender equity, procedural fairness, and the assurance that individuals can express themselves without fear of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation. For students, the quality of safety within an institution directly shapes whether they choose to speak up, take on leadership roles, seek support, or simply show up fully engaged in their own education.
This research reaffirms the flagship campaign of The Safe Side — “Freedom to Focus” in light of Institutional Safety, and deliberates upon the idea that students can only concentrate on learning and professional growth when they are not consuming mental and emotional energy navigating unsafe environments. When institutions fail to provide genuine safety, the cost is not only personal; it is academic, behavioural, and societal. This study seeks to quantify those hidden costs and understand their structural roots within Indian educational institutions.
Safety
Participation
Growth
Ragini Juneja
Project Director | Founder | The Safe Side
Ragini Juneja is a litigation lawyer and the Founder of The Safe Side, a purpose-driven initiative focused on advancing safety, dignity, and inclusivity across institutional spaces.
In addition to her vast experience in litigation, her work extends into the domain of institutional safety and compliance, particularly under frameworks such as the POSH Act and POCSO. She serves as an external member on Internal Committees across organisations and actively engages in sensitisation, training, and advisory roles for schools, colleges, and corporates, with a focus on building awareness and strengthening systems of accountability.
Through The Safe Side, she brings together legal insight and lived realities to promote the idea that safety must be embedded into spaces of learning and work. Her efforts are directed towards enabling environments where individuals feel secure, respected, and empowered, reinforcing the belief that true growth begins with the freedom to focus.
Dr. Subir Verma
Director | FORE School of Management (CSD)
Dr. Subir Verma, Director FORE School of Management, New Delhi, is a Ph.D. from IIM Ahmedabad, M.A (Gold Medallist) & M.Phil. in Political Science from Delhi University with more than 33 years of teaching, research, training and consulting experience in reputed institutions in India and abroad.
Dr. Verma is an active trainer with expertise in leadership, team building, change management, and negotiation skills. He has successfully led over 100 workshops and provided more than 15,000 hours of training to senior and middle managers from a wide range of prominent organizations, including Navratna PSUs, Scheduled Banks, and subsidiaries of top MNCs and TNCs in India. Additionally, he has been a consultant in organization design, leadership development, and HR policy development for well-established public and private sector companies, various government departments, the Government of Jharkhand, and even the World Bank.
Dr. Rakhi Tripathi
Faculty Coordinator | Center for Sustainable Development of FORE School of Management
Prof. Rakhi Tripathi is an accomplished academic and researcher with over 14 years of experience in the fields of digital innovation, web analytics, social media analytics, and social listening. Her work focuses on leveraging digital technologies to create meaningful social impact, particularly in areas such as higher education, healthcare, and violence against women. She has published extensively in reputed national and international journals and has led and contributed to several significant research projects, including those funded by the British Academy, UK, and Cancer Research UK in collaboration with leading global institutions such as University College London and the University of Liverpool.
Beyond her academic contributions, she is actively engaged in social causes and works towards empowering women in rural India. Her contributions have been recognised through several prestigious awards, including the National Education Award for Best IT Professor, the Outstanding Women in Science in Information Technology Award, and the Karmaveer Chakra Award (Gold) for societal impact.
Research Project Overview
This collaborative project brought together a structured, phase-wise study on institutional safety, combining primary research, lived experiences, and legal analysis. The project was designed to move beyond surface-level awareness and build a deeper, evidence-based understanding of safety across institutional spaces.
The findings and insights from this study have been compiled into a comprehensive project report, developed by The Safe Side in collaboration with the Centre for Sustainable Development, FORE School of Management.The report brings together data analysis, literature review, and a structured reform-oriented framework, offering a holistic perspective on institutional safety.
Foreword by Dr. Ashok Pandey
The project report is introduced with a foreword by Dr. Ashok Pandey, a distinguished educationist closely associated with institutional development and school education in India. His insights contextualise the importance of safety within learning environments and reinforce the relevance of this study in today’s institutional landscape.
Dr. Ashok K Pandey
Fellow, Global Peace Foundation, USA | Prof. of Practice, Woxsen University | Co-Chair, NMM Implementation Committee, NCTE
The project report is introduced with a foreword by Dr. Ashok Pandey, a distinguished educationist closely associated with institutional development and school education in India. His insights contextualise the importance of safety within learning environments and reinforce the relevance of this study in today’s institutional landscape.
Dr. Ashok Pandey is recognized as an exceptional innovator, classroom practitioner, and influential educational leader. With an illustrious career spanning over three decades, Mr. Pandey has dedicated himself to working closely with children and teachers. His expertise in classroom teaching and practical school management is reflected in the success of his two bestselling books on these subjects. Mr. Pandey’s expertise extends to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where he is recognized as an expert. He has played a pivotal role in introducing Global Goals and Global Citizenship Education in schools nationwide.
Overall, Dr. Ashok Pandey’s vast expertise, outstanding achievements, and extensive involvement in various educational initiatives solidify his position as a highly regarded and influential figure in the field of education.
Project Report
Impact Campaigns
POSH @Campus
Awareness initiative focused on understanding workplace safety laws and policies within campus environments.
Conversations That Matter
Interactive discussions highlighting real experiences and perspectives around institutional safety.
#Unscripted
Anonymous storytelling series bringing forward lived experiences of individuals.
Student Contributors
Core Committee
Ishita Singh
Aastha Wadhwa
Kirti Shekhawat
Institutional Safety Research Cluster (ISRC)
Charvi Suri
Harshita Chauhan
Arya Verma
Anusha Sadhu
P.S. Moneesh
Riya Talati
Institutional Safety Impact Cluster (ISIC)
Minni Singhla
Nancy Maryan
Archee Omer
Harshita Bansal
Nandini Singh
Tisha Mittal
Student Reflections
