- The University Grants Commission (UGC) has mandated higher educational institutions to ensure women’s safety by establishing internal committees, awareness campaigns, and emergency support systems, among other facilities.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a crucial advisory outlining specific measures to be undertaken in a bid to ensure a safe and secure environment for women within higher educational institutions (HEIs) and workplaces.
The advisory noted that the Commission had notified the University Grants Commission (Prevention, Prohibition and Reforms of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2015 which describe the responsibilities of HEIs regarding grievance redressal mechanism, procedure for filing and investigating complaints, interim redressal, penalties and compensation, consequences of non-compliance, etc.
HEIs have been mandated to establish Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) and Special/Women’s Cells to address gender-based violence and conduct gender sensitisation programmes.
To foster awareness and prevent sexual harassment, institutions are required to prominently display banners and posters across their premises.
The names and contact details of ICC members should be publicly available on notice boards within institutions, ensuring transparency in complaint redressal mechanisms.
HEIs must prominently showcase billboards outlining the penal consequences of sexual harassment, along with toll-free and committed phone numbers for immediate assistance.
In line with facilitating swift support, institutions are directed to display Women’s Helpline Number 181 and Emergency Response Support Number 112 for easy access during distress.
Further, HEIs are instructed to upload key documents, including the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013, and UGC Regulations, 2015, on their respective portals for reference and accessibility.
