UGC Issues Advisories to Educational Institutions to Deal with Gender Based Violence and Harassment on Campuses
The University Grants commission (UGC) has issued directions to all universities to establish a cell to monitor and deal with sexual harassment cases. The Universities/Institutions have also been requested to develop a page on their web-site for loading such complaints of sexual harassment and to take prompt action as soon as such incident comes to their notice. UGC has sent an advisory to all the Educational Institutions that the University/Institute/College must have a committee and a separate cell to deal with issues of gender based violence. The cell should also be able to handle gender sensitization programmes in order to evaluate, assist and support Higher Educational Institutes which will make it mandatory on the part of universities to give effect to a policy of zero tolerance on campuses for gender based violence and harassment with a view to eliminating cultures of impunity (and also cultures of silence and complicity). UGC has also requested Universities to sensitize the management and the teachers of the institutions and to work out a road map of action for the guidance of colleges and other institutions, which may include the items like holding of conferences, seminars, conducting of workshops and classes for self-defence of girls, research and studies.
All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) has informed that to sensitize the management and teachers of the institutions of higher education in their respective administrative control and to work out a road map of action for the guidance of colleges and other institutions, the Council has so far conducted 13 workshops at different places.
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has informed that following Sexual Harassment Committees are functional in the University:-
Regional Services Division Committee against Sexual Harassment (RSDCASH)
i. Regional Centres Committee against Sexual Harassment (RCCASH)
ii. IGNOU Committee against Sexual Harassment (ICASH)
iii. Apex Committee against Sexual Harassment (ACASH)
iv. This information was given by the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Smt. Smriti Irani in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha question.
