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INTERNAL COMPALINT COMMITTEE

INTERNAL COMPALINT COMMITTEE:


INTERNAL COMPALINT COMMITTEE

Overview:

The Amrutvahini College of Engineering has zero tolerance policy against sexual harassment. An act of sexual harassment is a punishable offence. In terms of sexual harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Harassment and Redressal) Act 2013, with a view to provide protection against sexual harassment of women at workplace and for the prevention and redressal of complaints of sexual harassment and for matters connected therewith or incidental there to, the internal Complaints Committee (ICC) has been constituted. The internal Complaint Committee will be responsible for the redressal of complaints made by employees & students and ensure time -bound treatment of the complaints as provided in the Act.

This policy establishes the basis for the formation of ICC, including their composition, membership,terms and recommendations.


Scope:

The rules and regulations outlined in this policy shall be applicable to all complaints of sexual harassment made:

  1. By a member of the Institution against any other member of the Institution irrespective of whether the harassment is alleged to have taken place within or outside the campus
  2. By an outsider against a member of the Institution or by a member of the Institution against an outsider if the sexual harassment is alleged to have taken place within the campus.
  3. By a member of the Institution against an outsider if the sexual harassment is alleged to have taken place outside the campus. In such cases the Committee shall recommend that the Institution authorities initiate action by making a complaint with the appropriate authority. Further the committee will actively assist and provide available resources to the complainant in pursuing the complaint.

Objectives:

  1. To fulfil the directive of the Supreme Court enjoining all employers to develop and implement a policy against sexual harassment at the work place.
  2. To ensure the implementation of the policy in letter and spirit through proper reporting of the complaints and their follow-up procedures.
  3. To uphold the commitment of the Institute to provide an environment free of gender- based discrimination.
  4. To create a secure physical and social environment which will deter acts of sexual harassment.

Policy

  1. Internal Complaint Committee shall have following functions:
    1. Confidentiality: with respect to the details of the complaint, the complainant’s identity and the person(s) who she has charged must therefore be mandatorily guaranteed, but by itself, this is not enough, as confidentiality must extend both to the procedures employed in enquiries and the witnesses involved in them for the guarantee to be truly meaningful.
    2. Non - Coercion and Interim relief: The institution applies this policy in letter and spirit. As per the rules an order of restraint is issued to the respondent as soon as the complaint is filed, prohibiting all direct or indirect contact with the complainant, her family or witnesses. Violations of the order of restraint are viewed as aggravating the offence committed.
    3. Fair Policy- In accordance with the fair policy all ICC enquiries are carried out in accordance with a detailed procedure for inquiry into a complaint of sexual harassment, starting from the filing of the complaint, examination and cross-examination of witnesses, right up to the submission of the report.
    4. Education and Redressal - there is zero tolerance for quid pro quo harassment involving a teacher\employee and a student or those in any other hierarchical relationship. The specific redressal of a particular complaint demands vary according toindividual cases, but the objective of the interventions by ICC is to ensure that the sexual harassment stops at once.
    5. Ethics for Research Supervision: The perspective that should guide ethics for research supervision is to maintain clear norms in the relationship such that neither is the student violated nor does her research suffer. Time spent with supervisors is professionally oriented and not be personal. Unnecessary requests to spend time with supervisors should be avoided. All meetings should be during office hours in office space. Any complaint made by a student about a supervisor must be forwarded to the Sexual Harassment committee and official-lly acknowledged. Following this the Supervisor must be suspended and another faculty member assigned in consultation with the student.
  2. Definition of Sexual Harassment

    The following constitute sexual harassment:

    1. When submission to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature are, implicitly or explicitly, made a term or condition of teaching/guidance, employment, participation or evaluation of a person’s engagement in any Institute activity.
    2. When unwelcome sexual advances, and verbal, non-verbal and/or physical conduct such as loaded comments, remarks or jokes, letters, phone calls or e-mails, gestures, exhibition of pornography, lurid stares, physical contact, stalking, sounds or display of a derogatory nature have the purpose and/ or effect of interfering with an individual’s performance or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
    3. When a person/s uses, with a sexual purpose, the body or any part of it or any object as an extension of the body in relation to another person without the latter’s consent or against that person’s will, such conduct will amount to sexual assault.
    4. When deprecatory comments, conduct or any such behavior is based on the gender identity/sexual orientation of the person and/or when the classroom or other public forum of the Institute is used to denigrate/ discriminate against person(s), or create a hostile environment on the basis of a person’s gender identity/sexual orientation.

  3. Membership

    The Internal Complaint Committee shall comprise of following members:

    Sr. No. Representative Designation Contact number e-mail id
    1 Dr.Rekha P. Labade, Head Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering department Chair Person 9850498510 hod.entc@avcoe.org
    2 Mrs.Rupali Kale NGO, Member 9850404331 -----
    3 Ms.Vijaya Arjun Auti Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering department Member Coordinator 9226971973 Vijayashree.auti@avcoe.org
    4 Prof.Jayshri N. Ganthade Assistant Professor, Computer Engineering department Member 9579843030 Jayshri.ganthade@avcoe.org
    5 Prof. Jyoti R. Rokade Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering. Department Member 9960526427 jyoti.rokade@avcoe.org
    6 Mrs. Mangala. J. Rahane, Technical Assistant, Electronics Engineering department Member 9960965849 mangala.rahane@avcoe.org
    7 Miss Rohini Kale, Third year Electrical Engineering Student Representative 9422930265 kalerohini233@gmail.com
    8 Miss. M. E. Lohote Third year Computer Engineering Student Representative 9922249469 Mayurilohote53@gmail.com

    The committee shall work as per provisions made in the sexual harassment for women at work place (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) ,2013 Act. The Committee should make an Annual report of Complaints and action taken. The tenure of the committee shall be for one academic year

  4. Definition of Sexual Harassment

    The following constitute sexual harassment:

    1. When submission to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature are, implicitly or explicitly, made a term or condition of teaching/guidance, employment, participation or evaluation of a person’s engagement in any Institute activity.
    2. When unwelcome sexual advances, and verbal, non-verbal and/or physical conduct such as loaded comments, remarks or jokes, letters, phone calls or e-mails, gestures, exhibition of pornography, lurid stares, physical contact, stalking, sounds or display of a derogatory nature have the purpose and/ or effect of interfering with an individual’s performance or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
    3. When a person/s uses, with a sexual purpose, the body or any part of it or any object as an extension of the body in relation to another person without the latter’s consent or against that person’s will, such conduct will amount to sexual assault.
    4. When deprecatory comments, conduct or any such behaviour is based on the gender identity/sexual orientation of the person and/or when the classroom or other public forum of the Institute is used to denigrate/ discriminate against person(s), or create a hostile environment on the basis of a person’s gender identity/sexual orientation.

  5. Duties of Internal Complaint Committee

    1. Procedure For Registering Complaints
      1. All complaints must be brought by the complainant in person either to the Gensen committee which will refer the case to ICC or directly to ICC. The exception for this will be in cases of forced confinement of the person. In such a case, brought by another person on behalf of the complainant, the committee will examine whether an investigation, intervention or some other assistance is needed. In exceptional cases, third party/witness complaints may be entertained. In such cases, the committee will ascertain whether the person alleged to have been harassed wishes to lodge a formal complaint. Once such a complaint is received the committee shall proceed to investigate it as per the procedure specified.
      2. If the complainant wishes s/he can be accompanied by a representative.
      3. The Vice-Chancellor can refer any complaint to ICC.
    2. Enquiry Procedures
      1. All complaints made to any committee member must be received and recorded by the member, who shall then inform the Chairperson about the complaint, who in turn shall call a meeting of the committee.
      2. The committee is bound to maintain confidentiality during the time of the enquiry (in order not to prejudice the proceedings).
      3. After the report has been finalized, confidentiality should be maintained, if the complainant so desires, by withholding the complainant’s name and other particulars that would identify her.
      4. The ICC after the receipt of a complaint, establish a prima facie case of sexual harassment on the basis of both the definition of sexual harassment as given in this policy, and the jurisdiction of this policy. Reasons for not pursuing a complaint must be recorded in the minutes and made available to the complainant in writing.
      5. In case of a complaint filed by another person on behalf of the complainant (where the complainant is in confinement) the complaint will be investigated in order to explore whether a prima facie case of sexual harassment exists and whether intervention or some other assistance is required.
      6. During the enquiry procedure, the complainant and the accused will be called separately so as to ensure freedom of expression and an atmosphere free of intimidation. The complainant will be allowed to be accompanied by one representative during the enquiry.
      7. The ICC must submit its report to the Director of Technical Education(DTE) office Nashik not later than one month.
      8. In special circumstances the matter may be referred to the Chief executive Officer (CEO) of AmrutvahiniSheti and Shikshan Vikas Sanstha.
      9. The entire process of enquiry should be completed within three months.