The University Grants Commission has issued a notification appealing the Higher Educational Institutions for constituting an Internal Complaint Committee for Gender sensitisation.
In an official notification released on the website of the UGC, the commission said, "Sub-regulation (l) of regulation 4 of these regulations mandates that every Executive Authority shall constitute an Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) with an inbuilt mechanism for gender sensitisation against sexual harassment..."
The move comes as UGC has repeatedly advised higher educational institutions to constitute an Internal complaint committee in the institutions to deal with gender-based violence under their administrative control.
The HEIs are also asked to conduct gender sensitisation programmes and to display the names and contact details of the members of the ICC on notice boards in the institutions and their website.
The UGC further clarified that in case the ICC has not been constituted in any institutions, a complaint may be lodged with the Gender Sensitisation cell of the UGC. The complaint can be lodged through the UGC SAKSHAM Portal.
In an earlier move, the University Grants Commission has directed institutions to implement new guidelines for gender champions with an aim to increase gender sensitisation and equality on campuses. Under this move, the universities were asked to appoint student representatives gender champions who would oversee the process of this initiative in their respective colleges.