Students’ Grievance Redressal Panels Must Have SC, ST, OBC, Women As Chief Or Members: UGC

New Delhi: In a significant move, University Grants Commission (UGC) has made it mandatory for inclusion of representatives from Schedule Castes (SC), Schedule Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and also women as chairperson or members of students’ grievance redressal committees.

The UGC (Redressal of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2023 — notified on April 11 — will replace the 2019 guidelines. The new regulations are aligned as per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, reported PTI.

The UGC has directed all higher education institutions to comply with the new guidelines that seek to provide opportunities for redressal of grievances of students already enrolled in any institution, as well as those seeking admission to such institutions.

The revised guidelines stipulate that at least one member of students’ grievances redressal committee or its chairperson shall be a woman and at least one member or the chairperson shall be from the SC, ST or OBC category.

“Students’ Grievance Regulations, 2023, provide an additional forum for redressal of complaints against caste-based discrimination. These regulations do not replace other regulations/guidelines made/issued by the UGC from time to time to ensure that no student is discriminated against on the basis of caste, creed, religion, language, ethnicity, gender or disabilities,” said UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar.

The new guidelines have retained the provision of appointment of an ombudsperson for redressal of grievances of students of a university and colleges/institutions affiliated with a university. The ombudsperson shall be a retired vice-chancellor/retired professor with 10 years of experience or a former district judge.