‘Dean (Admissions) as member violates UCG’: Section of teachers raises concern over reconstitution of DU internal complaint panel
Speaking to The Indian Express, DU V-C Singh said: “I am not aware of any email addressed to me, but if something of that sort has happened, we will... make necessary changes.”
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Candidates have to key in their application number, date of birth, and security pin. Certain sections of teachers have raised concerns about the reconstitution of Delhi University’s Internal Complaint Committee as it now comprises the Dean (Admissions) as a member.
The UGC (Prevention, prohibition and redressal of sexual harassment of women employees and students in higher educational institutions) Regulations, 2015, states that “persons in senior administrative positions in HEI such as vice-chancellor, pro vice-chancellor, rector, registrar, dean, and head of department among others shall not be ICC members, in order to ensure the autonomy of their functioning.”
Although the official DU website does not state ICC’s revision date, the presiding officer, Rupam Kapoor, confirmed that the panel has been reconstituted as the tenure of several members is coming to an end. The reconstituted panel names Haneet Gandhi, dean (Admissions), DU, as a teaching member — part of the ICC.
On Wednesday, the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) teachers’ body — Academic for Action and Development Teachers’ Association (AADTA) — wrote to DU Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh, saying: “…At present, there has been a violation of the above mentioned clause of the UGC Regulations 2015 in the constitution of the ICC, Delhi University. For instance, on S No 3, Professor Harneet Gandhi as a teaching member is the Dean (Admissions)… Hence, we request you to review the ICC’s membership to uphold the statutory provisions concerned, in letter and spirit, and take appropriate action without any further delay.”
The ICC was designed to be the first port of call for any grievance under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act, a key element needed to create a safe workplace environment for women.
Speaking to The Indian Express, DU V-C Singh said: “I am not aware of any email addressed to me, but if something of that sort has happened, we will… make necessary changes.”
On this, Gandhi told The Indian Express that she was also “unaware” of the matter.
DU Registrar Vikas Gupta, meanwhile, told The Indian Express: “We have received an email from a few teachers; we will look into it and if there is an issue with the compliance, necessary steps will be taken. We will adhere to the UGC Guidelines.”
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