All Colleges Told to Set Up Separate Cells to Tackle Complaints from Girls
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jan 10: Waking up after the nation-wide public outcry over the recent gang-rape and death of a 23-year physiotherapist in Delhi, the State Government has come out with a set of 12 guidelines to ensure the safety of girl students and women staff in all colleges in Karnataka.
All the Colleges in the State have been asked to mandatorily to set up a separate cell to receive and hear complaints of harassment, including sexual harassment from girl students and women lecturers, State Higher Education Minister C T Ravi said.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, the minister said all the Colleges have been asked to strictly adhere to the 12-point guidelines to ensure the safety of their girl students and also the women staff, including lecturers.
All colleges have to set up a special committee headed by the principal and constisting of senior women lecturers, girl students, parents and eminent persons from society as its members.
The decision to issue guidelines was taken at a recent meeting of vice-chancellors, who suggested setting up of such a cell headed by principal and head of the educational institution.
Ravi said the cell should hold a sitting at least once a week and each college should also constitute a task force to ensure safety of women lecturers and girl students.
Details and contact numbers of committee members to be displayed in front gate of the college, Ravi said and made it clear that there will not be any exceptions to the norm.
The Cell and the task force should file a complaint immediately with police on receipt of information on any kind of harassment.
In the event of the charges being prima facie proved, the minister said the accused staff member shall be placed under suspension pending an enquiry.
Special attention need to be given about safety of girl students and women staff on college campus and hostel, he said explaining that all colleges must have at least two periods for teaching moral education and value based education in a week.
College staff or the resource personnel to be hired for teaching moral education, Ravi said.
Workshops should be organised to promote sisterhood and brotherhood relationship among students, he said.
Colleges must also keep a suggestion box to lodge complaints privately by girl students and set up a helpline.
Appointment of a contact officer in colleges would also help girl students to inform the management about sexual harassment, he added.