University Grants Commission (UGC) publishes "Redressal of Grievances of Students Regulation" in the Government of India Gazette. Penal Action against Erring Institutions.

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May 13, 2019

University Grants Commission (UGC) publishes "Redressal of Grievances of Students Regulation" in the Government of India Gazette. Penal Action against Erring Institutions.

India Education

UGC Regulations

India Universities

Photo: The front of the Government of India Gazette notifying the University Grants Commission (Redressal of Grievances of Students) Regulations.

• New Delhi, 13 May 2019 — The University Grants Commission has published Redressal of Grievances of Students Regulation in the Government of India Gazette.

The regulation mandates the institutions to upload on their websites the prospectus containing information on the 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 pedagogical skills, and data about 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 the 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, and who had been Vice-Chancellor of a University.

GRIEVANCES:

“Grievance” means, and includes, complaint(s) made by an aggrieved student in respect of the following, namely:

Admission is contrary to merit determined in the declared admission policy of the Institution;
Irregularity in the process under the stated admission policy of the Institution;
The Institution refuses to admit a student under its declared admission policy;
Non-publication of the prospectus by the Institution, under the provisions of these regulations;
Publication by the Institution of any information in the brochure, which is false or misleading, and not based on facts;
Withholding of, or refusal to return, any document in the form of certificates of degree, diploma or any other award deposited by a student to seek admission.
The demand for money above that specified in the declared admission policy of the Institution;
Violation, by the Institution, of any law for the time being in force regarding reservation of seats in admission to a different category of students;
Nonpayment or delay in payment of scholarships or financial aid applicable to any student under the declared admission policy of such Institution, or under the conditions, if any, prescribed by the Commission;
Delay by the Institution in the conduct of examinations, or declaration of results, beyond the schedule specified in the academic calendar of the Institution, or such timetable prescribed by the Commission;
Failure by the Institution to provide student amenities as set out in the prospectus, or is required to be extended by the Institution under any provisions of law for the time being in force;
Non-transparent or Unfair Practices adopted by the Institution for the Evaluation of Students;
Delay in, or denial of, the refund of fees due to a student who withdraws admission within the time mentioned in the prospectus, or as may be notified by the Commission;
Complaints of alleged discrimination of students from the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Women, Minority or persons with disabilities categories;
Denial of quality education as promised at the time of admission or required to be provided;
Harassment or victimization of a student, other than cases of harassment, which are to be proceeded against under the penal provisions of any law for the time being in force.

MANDATORY PUBLICATION OF PROSPECTUS, ITS CONTENTS, AND PRICING:

Every Institution, shall publish and/or upload on its website, before expiry of at least sixty days prior to the date of the commencement of the admission to any of its courses or programs of study, a prospectus containing the following for the information of persons intending to seek access to such Institution and the general public, namely:

(a) the list of programs of study and courses offered along with the broad outlines of the syllabus specified by the appropriate statutory authority or by the Institution, as the case may be, for every course or program of study, including teaching hours, practical sessions and other assignments;
(b) the number of seats approved by the appropriate statutory authority in respect of each course or program of study for the academic year;
(c) the conditions of educational qualifications and eligibility including the minimum and maximum age limit of persons for admission as a student in a particular course or program of study, specified by the Institution;
(d) the process of selection of eligible candidates applying for such admission, including all relevant information concerning the details of test or examination for selecting such candidates for access to each course or program of study and the amount of fee prescribed for the admission test;
(e) each component of the cost, deposits and other charges payable by the students admitted to such Institution for pursuing a course or program of study, and the additional terms and conditions of such payment;
(f) rules/regulations for imposition and collection of any fines in specified heads or categories, minimum and maximum penalty.
(g) the percentage of tuition fee and other charges refundable to a student admitted in such Institution in case such student withdraws from such Institution before or after completion of the course or program of study and the time within and how the Institution would refund that student;
(h) details of the teaching faculty, including their educational qualifications, along with their type of appointment (Regular/visiting/guest) and teaching experience of every member thereof.
(i) information about physical and academic infrastructure and other facilities including hostel accommodation and its fee, library, hospital or industry wherein the practical training is to be imparted to the students and in particular the amenities accessible by students on being admitted to the Institution;
(j) all relevant instructions in regard to maintaining the discipline by students within or outside the campus of the Institution, and, in particular such training relating to the prohibition of ragging of any student or students and the consequences thereof and for violating the provisions of any regulation in this behalf made by the relevant statutory regulatory authority; and
(k) Any other information as may be specified by the Commission.

CONSEQUENCES OF NON-COMPLIANCE:

The Commission shall in respect of any institution, which willfully contravenes these regulations, or repeatedly fails to comply with the recommendation of the Ombudsperson or the Grievance Redressal Committee(s), as the case may be, proceed to take one or more of the following actions, namely:

(a) withdrawal of declaration of fitness to receive grants under section 12B of the Act;
(b) withholding any grant allocated to the Institution;
(c) declaring the Institution ineligible for consideration for any assistance under any of the general or special assistance programs of the Commission;
(d) informing the general public, including potential candidates for admission, through a notice displayed prominently in suitable media and posted on the website of the Commission, declaring that the Institution does not possess the minimum standards for redressal of grievances;
(e) recommend to the affiliating University for withdrawal of affiliation, in case of a college;
(f) take such action as it may deem necessary, appropriate and fit, in case of an institution deemed to be University;
(g) recommend to the Central Government, if required, for withdrawal of declaration as Institution believed to be a University, in case of an institution deemed to be University;
(h) recommend to the State Government to take necessary and appropriate action, in case of a University established or incorporated under a State Act;
(i) Such other action as may be deemed necessary and proper against an institution for non-compliance.

The Commission will, however, take no action under this regulation without first giving the Institution a chance to explain its position.

The Commission has notified this regulation to the Vice-Chancellors of all Universities.

UGC Regulations

• Consequent upon the promulgation of this regulation in the Government of India Gazette, any University, whose “Registrar” professes to possess the absolute authority to manipulate the data under his supervision and engage in non-transparent, unfair practices for the evaluation of students, would be served with a Show Cause Notice. The University would be required to show cause why it should not be declared “Unfit for receiving Government Grants.”

Source: University Grants Commission, New Delhi.

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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:51 AM | Link to this Post