University Grants Commission, which has come up with a new regulation for redressal of student's grievances, has asked universities to set up an online portal within a period of three months, where students can submit their grievance. The UGC has notified Redressal of Grievances of Students Regulation, 2019 in the Government of India Gazette on May 6. The regulation listed out 16 types of grievances which included admission contrary to merit, non-publication of prospectus in accordance with the provisions of the regulations, withholding any document in the form of certificate, demanding money in excess, non-payment or delayed payment of scholarship, delay in conducting examination or declaration of result, non-transparent evaluation of students, denial of quality education, harassment or victimisation of student.
The regulation also mandates institutions to upload on its website prospectus containing information including list of programs, number of seats, conditions of educational qualification and eligibility, process of selections, each component of fee, deposit and other charges payable by students, details of teaching faculty with their educational qualification and information regarding physical and academic infrastructure. There will be four types of students grievance redressal committees, collegiate student grievance redressal committee, departmental student grievance redressal committee, institutional student grievance redressal committee and university student grievance redressal committee. Any student aggrieved by the decision of the University Student Grievance Redressal Committee may prefer an appeal to the Ombudsperson, who shall be a person of eminence in academics or research, who had been Vice-Chancellor of a University.
On receipt of an online complaint, the institution shall refer the complaint to the appropriate Student Grievance Redressal Committee, along with its comments within 15 days of receipt of the complaint. The Student Grievance Redressal Committee shall fix a date for hearing the complaint which shall be communicated to the institution and the aggrieved student.
The regulation also has provision for penal action against institutions which violate the regulation. The UGC take action against institutions which wilfully contravenes these regulations or repeatedly fails to comply with the recommendation of the Ombudsperson or the Grievance Redressal Committees and punishments includes withdrawal of declaration of fitness to receive grants under section 12B of the Act, withholding any grant allocated to the Institution, etc.
