Grievances Redressal Policy :

Vide University Grants Commission (Grievance Redressal) Regulation, 2012

Objectives :

1) To develop an organizational framework to resolve grievances of the students and other stakeholders.
2) To enlighten the students on their duties and responsibilities to access benefits.
3) To ensure effective solution to the student’s grievances.
4) To investigate the reason of dissatisfaction.
5) To obtain where possible a speedy resolution to the problem.

Definition :

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires

1. “Act” means the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 (3 of 1956);
2. “aggrieved student” means a student who has any complaint in the matters concerned with the grievances defined under these regulations, and includes a person seeking admission to any institution of higher education;
3. “college” means any institution, whether known as such or by any other name, which provides for a course of study for obtaining any qualification from a university and which, in accordance with the rules and regulations of such university, is recognised as competent to provide for such course of study and present students undergoing such course of study for the examination for the award of such qualification;
4. “Commission” means the University Grants Commission established under section 4 of the UGC Act, 1956.
5. “declared admission policy” means such policy for admission to a course or program of study as may be offered by the institution and published in the prospectus referred to in sub¬regulation (1) of regulation 3;
6. “grievances” include the following complaints of the aggrieved students, namely: –
   1. making admission contrary to merit determined in accordance with the declared admission policy of the institute;
   2. irregularity in the admission process adopted by the institute;
   3. refusing admission in accordance with the declared admission policy of the institute;
   4. non publication of prospectus, as specified;
   5. publishing any information in the prospectus, which is false or misleading, and not based on facts;
   6. withhold or refuse to return any document in the form of certificates of degree, diploma or any other award or other document deposited with it by a person for the purpose of seeking admission in such institution, with a view to induce or compel such person to pay any fee or fees in respect of any course or program of study which such person does not intend to pursue;
   7. demand of money in excess of that specified in the declared admission policy or approved by the competent authority to be charged by such institution;
   8. breach of the policy for reservation in admission as may be applicable;
   9. complaints, of alleged discrimination of students, from the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Women, Minority or Disabled categories;
   10. non payment or delay in payment of scholarships to any student that such institution is committed, under the conditions imposed by University Grants Commission, or by any other authority;
   11. delay in conduct of examinations or declaration of results beyond that specified in the academic calendar;
   12. on provision of student amenities as may have been promised or required to be provided by the institution;
   13. denial of quality education as promised at the time of admission or required to be provided;
   14. non transparent or unfair evaluation practices;
   15. harassment and victimisation of students, including sexual harassment;
7. “Grievance Redressal Committee” means a committee constituted under these regulations;
8. “Higher Educational Institution” means a University within the meaning of clause (f) of Section 2, a college within the meaning of clause (b) of sub¬section (1) of Section 12A, and an institution deemed to be a University declared under Section 3, of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956;
9. “institution” for the purposes of these regulations, means university, college or institution, as the case may be;
10. “Office of profit” means an office which is capable of yielding a profit or pecuniary gain, and to which some pay, salary, emolument, remuneration or no compensatory allowance is attached;
11. “Ombudsman” means the Ombudsman appointed under regulation 4 of these regulations;
12. “university” means a university established or incorporated by or under a Central Act or a State Act and includes an institution deemed to be university declared as such under Section 3 of the Act. Mandatory publication of prospectus, its contents and pricing:

Mandatory publication of prospectus, its contents and pricing:

1. Every higher education institution, shall publish, before expiry of sixty days prior the date of the commencement of the admission to any of its courses or programmes of study, a prospectus containing the following for the purposes of informing those persons intending to seek admission to such institution and the general public, namely:—
   1. each component of the fee, deposits and other charges payable by the students admitted to such institution for pursuing a course or programme of study, and the other terms and conditions of such payment;
   2. 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 course or programme of study and the time within, and the manner in, which such refund shall be made to that student;
   3. the number of seats approved by the appropriate statutory authority in respect of each course or programme of study for the academic year for which admission is proposed to be made;
   4. the conditions of eligibility including the minimum and maximum age limit of persons for admission as a student in a particular course or programme of study, where so specified by the institution;
   5. the educational qualifications specified by the relevant appropriate statutory authority, or by the institution, where no such qualifying standards have been specified by any statutory authority;
   6. the process of admission and selection of eligible candidates applying for such admission, including all relevant information in regard to the details of test or examination for selecting such candidates for admission to each course or programme of study and the amount of fee to be paid for the admission test;
   7. details of the teaching faculty, including therein the educational qualifications and teaching experience of every member of its teaching faculty and also indicating therein whether such members are on regular basis or as visiting member;
   8. information in regard to physical and academic infrastructure and other facilities including hostel accommodation, library and hospital or industry wherein the practical training to be imparted to the students and in particular the facilities accessible by students on being admitted to the institution;
   9. broad outlines of the syllabus specified by the appropriate statutory authority or by the institution, as the case may be, for every course or programme of study, including the teaching hours, practical sessions and other assignments;
   10. all relevant instructions in regard to maintaining the discipline by students within or outside the campus of the institution, and, in particular such discipline 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
   11. any such other information as may be specified by the Commission:
2. Student representatives shall be invited only to those meetings in which grievances of students are to be considered and they shall attend only that part of the meeting, during which grievances of students are considered.
3. The meeting of the committee shall be convened by the Secretary in consultation with the Chairman as and when required.

Grievance Redressal Committee :

Name of the Chairman: Principal Dr. Suresh J. Babar

Name of the Committee Co-ordinator/convener: Asst. Prof. Gore R. L.

Powers of the Committee:

1. The Grievances committee shall deal with the grievances of teachers, other employees and the students.
2. The aggrieved person (teacher, other employee or student) of any constituent college may lodge his grievance with the Office Registrar earliest.
3. The Grievance Committee shall hear and settle grievances, as far as may be practical, within three months after the grievance is lodged with the committee.

Practice / procedures:

1. Grievances Redressal committee shall receive and redress grievances reported of following issue:
2. Academic issues: pertaining to teaching learning activities.
3. Students’ teacher, student- students, students patient relationship pertaining to harassment etc.

Internal evaluation and in assessment marking:

1. Complaint related to library and IT services.
2. Grievances related to hostel, food, water, electricity etc.
3. Grievance related to transport facilities.

Grievances related to sports, cultural and selection process etc:

Grievances related to women issues and harassment. However they are specifically redressed by women welfare and anti sexual harassment committee.:

1. Grievance related to ragging and however the matter is referred to anti ragging committee for appropriate Redressal.
2. Grievances related to university examination.
3. Grievances related to behavioral of secretarial staff.

Grievances related to delay in issuance of records and documents:

The grievance shall be redressed depending on the nature of grievances:

1. Department level counseling, college / institutional level counseling where the matter can be resolved through these efforts.
2. Most of the academic / internal evaluation (grievances related to internal assessment) shall be redressed at either individual faculty level, HOD or Dean/Principal or CoE level.
3. For other grievances that required review shall be redressed by receiving written and signed application.
4. As soon as the application is received the Redressal committee shall review the complaint and invites both the parties for discussion. The grievances at this level shall be resolved by issuing warning letters, memos and reformation remedies.
5. The grievances that need detailed investigation shall be subjected to enquiry by team of independent members. Enquiry report along with recommendation related to punishment shall be sent to the university grievances Redressal Cell which in turn communicates it to concerned individual.
6. The matters concerning to women harassment and ragging shall be dealt by the respective committees as per the laid down procedures.
7. All the grievances Redressal reports at institutional level shall be sent to university Redressal cell for review and further actions.
8. The central university grievances redressal cell may receive written complains directly. University grievances Redressal cell shall follow the same procedures as enumerated above and redresses the grievances.
9. The provision for appeal lies with Chancellor.

Stage I:
Students can report their grievance to the Class Co-ordinator (CC) or Class Representative (CR).
Stage II:
If the grievance is not redressed at the Stage I the student can refer the matter to the General Secretary (GS) of the College.
Stage III:
The grievance which could not be sorted out at Stage II can be further referred to the concerned Class Teacher.
Stage IV:
Further the grievance which could not be resolved at Stage III can be resolved by the respective Programme Co-ordinator.
Stage V:
The grievance which could not be redressed at Stage IV can be addressed to Grievance Cell Committee of the College.
Stage VI:
The Vice Principal undertakes the grievance which could not be sorted at Stage V.
Stage VII:
If the grievance couldn’t be solved at Stage VI the final decision regarding the grievance is vested in the hands of the Principal of the College.
Stage VIII:
The matter which could not be resolved at Stage VII would be referred to Top Management for further procedure.
Stage IX:
If the grievance couldn’t be redressed at Stage VIII it can be resolved at University of Mumbai, Grievance Cell. The above is the Step Ladder Method of Grievance redressal mechanism of the College apart from it Open door policy is also in place where students can directly approach top management.