UGC GUIDELINES ON ICC-----/uploads/7203627_UGC_regulations-harassment-ICC-.pdf
Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)
Objectives of ICC:
The objectives of the Internal Complaint Committee to Prevent Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace are as follows:
Background & Rationale:
Sexual harassment infringes on the following two fundamental rights provided by the Constitution of India: One is the right of a woman to gender equality under Article 14 and the other is the woman’s right to life and live with dignity under Article 21.
Supreme Court provided clear guidelines for dealing with sexual harassment in 1997. These guidelines which are legally binding and must be enforced include definition of sexual harassment at the workplace, prevention of such harassment, disciplinary action against the erring employee, and employer’s responsibility in ensuring a harassment-free workplace.
The Committee for Managing Gender Issues has been set up as the Internal Complaints Committee that the Indian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya was required to set up as per the Supreme Court Guidelines. This would normally limit its outcomes to resolution, settlement, or prosecution. However, ICC was set up not only to deal with complaints of sexual harassment of women in the workplace but also to focus on creating awareness, counselling and educating about gender issues. For example, specific components of induction programmes were formally introduced and are based on creating awareness and informing students about the Institute’s framework for dealing with such issues. In addition, gender sensitization workshops for staff and students are also conducted.
Jurisdiction:
The policy and the rules & regulations would apply to all students, faculty and nonteaching staffs on active roles of BARJORA cOLLEGE. The policy and the rules & regulations would also apply to service providers and outsiders who may be within the territory of the BARJORA COLLEGE at time of commission of the act coming under the purview of the policy.
Composition:
ICC has a membership of three to four persons, of which at least half the members are women. Chairperson of the Committee is a woman faculty member.
Chairperson:
SHASHI SHEIKH
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR HISTORY
Mail id---
Members:
Power and Duties of the Committee:
The committee is NOT to act as a moral police; neither will it intrude on anyone’s privacy. The role of the Committee is to create awareness about sexual harassment and to deal with and recommend punishment for non-consensual acts of sexual harassment, and not to curtail sexual expression within the campus.
A. Preventive
To create and ensure a safe environment that is free of sexual harassment, including safety from persons/visitors coming into contact at the workplace.
B. Gender Sensitization
Gender Sensitization involves creating awareness about issues of gender and sexuality and working towards and creating an enabling environment of gender justice where all can work together with a sense of personal security and dignity.
C. Remedial
The mechanism for registering complaints should be safe, accessible, and sensitive.
a)Who can approach ICC for help?
Any female employee (faculty member, student or non-teaching staff member) of VVM’s Shree
Damodar College of Commerce & Economics can seek redressal from the ICC.
Definition of Sexual Harassment:
"Sexual harassment" includes any unwelcome sexually inclined behaviour, whether directly or
indirectly, such as:
a) Physical contact and advances
b) A demand or request for sexual favours
c) Making sexually coloured remarks (including jokes)
d) Showing pornography (books, photographs, paintings, films, pamphlets, packages, etc.
containing ‘indecent representation of women’)
e) Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.
Under the Act, the following also count as sexual harassment:
a) Implied or explicit promise of preferential treatment in her employment.
b) Implied or explicit threat of detrimental treatment in her employment
c) Implied or explicit threat about her present or future employment status
d) Interference with her work or creating an intimidating or offensive work environment for her.
e) Humiliating treatment likely to affect her health or safety.
b)What are the possible actions that can be taken against the accused if found guilty?
Depending upon the severity of the case, punitive action may take any of the following forms
• Warning
• Written apology
• Bond of good behaviour
• Adverse remark in the Confidential Report
• Stopping of increments/promotion
• Suspension
• Dismissal
• Any other relevant actions
If you think you are being harassed, what should you do?
• Send an email to principal.sdcc@vvm.edu.in
• To know more about ICC procedures click here.
• You may also refer to http://www.shebox.nic.in/ Your complaint will be kept CONFIDENTIAL. Inquiry process:
c)Inquiry process:
• The inquiry shall be completed within a period of 90 days from the date of the complaint.
• The ICC shall provide a report of its findings to the Principal within a period of 10 days from the date of completion of the inquiry and such report shall be made available to the concerned parties.
• If the allegation against the respondent has been proved, the ICC shall recommend punitive action(s) to be taken against the respondent.
• The Principal shall act upon the recommendation within 60 days of receiving it.
Caveat
All female faculty members, non-teaching staff and students must bear in mind that such complaints are of an extremely serious nature and should, on no account, be made in a frivolous manner. This platform should not be misused to settle personal scores, or for any other non- genuine reason.
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