Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)

The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) is established in the year 2017 under the University Grants Commission (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2015- 2nd May 2016.
ICC, SVM College deals with cases of sexual harassment of the students or employees in the college and provides mechanism of dispute redressal. It advocates the empowerment of women and has zero tolerance for any kind of sexual harassment. ICC diligently work towards providing a secure environment to students, teaching and non-teaching staff. Complaint boxes have been placed in the college premises.
Sexual Harassment defined as:
“ An unwanted conduct with sexual undertones if it occurs or which is persistent and which demeans, humiliates or creates a hostile and intimidating environment or is calculated to induce submission by actual or threatened adverse consequences and induces any one or more or all of the following unwelcome acts or behaviour (whether directly or by implication), namely:
 Any unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature
 Demand or request for sexual favors
 Making sexually colored remarks
 Physical contact and advances
 Showing pornography

We commit ourselves to a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment and reinforce our commitment to making our campus free from discrimination, harassment, retaliation or sexual assault at all levels. If a student, faculty member or non-faculty staff member faces any discomfort under the above-mentioned heads, he or she can directly approach the committee.

Objectives of Internal Complaints Committee

  • To evolve a permanent mechanism for the prevention and redressal of sexual harassment cases and other acts of gender based violence at the Institute.
  • To uphold the commitment of the Institute to provide an environment free of gender based discrimination.
  • To organize programme creating gender sensitization.

Who can approach ICC?

  1. Any aggrieved womanwho has suffered harassment at workplace can approach ICC.
    Aggrieved woman includes :
  • Woman who is an employee, or
  • Someone visiting workplace, or
  • Student

Registration of Complaints:

Despite the preventive efforts made by the committee, any incidents of sexual harassment should take place; registration of complaints shall follow the following procedures.

  1. Complaints can be lodged directly with any member of the committee. The person to whom the compliant is made should bring to the notice of the committee within 2 working days of receiving it.
  2. As far as possible attempt should be made to explore whether mediation or conciliation can provide a suitable solution to the case. This should be desirable in so far it can spare trauma of formal procedure for both the complaint and the accused.
  3. The complaint may be oral or in writing, if the complaint is oral it shall be reduced in writing by the committee or the member who has received the complaint with the signature of the complainant.
  4. A complaint should be lodged within four weeks of the incident. In extraordinary circumstances this could be extended to four months.
  5. The committee shall study the complaint and may hear both the complainant and the accused and other involved parties to determine if an enquiry should be instituted. If so then an enquiry committee will be formed from the committee consisting of not less than 3 persons or not more than 5 persons. 50% of this committee will be women.
  6. The process shall be complainant friendly and quick in its decision regarding whether the matter needs to be enquired into or can be taken care of by counselling or mediation.
  7. At no time in the complaints receiving or recording procedure the past sexual history of the complainant is probed into.
  8. The complainant may withdraw his/her complaint in writing at any time while receiving during/enquiry procedure. In such case the procedure shall be terminated. If the committee feels or has enough reason to believe that the withdrawal is the consequence or effect of cohesion/ intimidation/ threat exerted by the accused or any person on his/her behalf the enquiry proceedings shall continue.
  9. The enquiry committee shall complete the enquiry in the shortest possible time not exceeding 3 months from the date of complaint.
  10. The enquiry committee shall provide reasonable opportunity to the complainant and the accused for presenting/ defending their case.
  11. The enquiry committee shall then submit a detailed report to the main committee in which it shall communicate its findings based on its investigation.
  12. The main committee along with the enquiry committee will then forward its findings and recommendations to the management for further action Committee Members

Meetings: The committee shall meet at least once in each semester or as deemed necessary. Minutes of all meetings shall be recorded. This committee in collaboration with women’s empowerment cell and other associations shall organize programs for the gender sensitization of the campus community through workshops, seminars, debates, and so on.

 

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  • To prevent sexual harassment at workplace.
  • To prevent discrimination and sexual harassment against girls by promoting gender amity among students and employees
  • To conduct periodical programmes on women empowerment.
  • To provide conducive environment and congenial atmosphere for women.