Question : SEXUAL ASSAULT IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

(a) whether it is a fact that sexual assault on campuses in public and private universities in the country is a major concern for girl students and their parents;

(b) if so, the details of the cases of sexual assaults reported in universities and schools during the last three years and the current year and the action taken in each of these cases;

(c) whether the Government has conducted/proposes to conduct any survey on attitudes towards sexual assault in schools and colleges across the country to understand the attitude of male students, teachers/lecturers and employees in schools, colleges and universities towards girl students;

(d) if so, the outcome of the study; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government to root out the causes of sexual assaults to ensure safety of girl students?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (PROF.(DR.) RAM SHANKAR KATHERIA)

(a) & (b): This Ministry has not received any report that there is a rise in cases of sexual assault on campuses in public and private universities in the country. However, following the gang rape of December 16, 2012 in the city of Delhi and the widespread protests that followed, the UGC constituted a Task Force to recommend measures to further ensure the safety of women and programmes for Gender sensitization on campuses across the country.

(c) & (d): A major finding of the Task Force, constituted by the University Grants Commission (UGC), has been that the weakest aspect of institutions of higher education in the country is their lack of gender sensitivity. The report is available at http://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/ 5873997_SAKSHAM-BOOK.pdf.

(e): The UGC has asked the Vice-Chancellors of all Universities and Deemed to be Universities to ensure the safety of women on the campuses and undertake programmes for gender sensitization. It has also requested the Vice-Chancellors to identify one of the senior faculty and assign him/ her the responsibility of implementing the recommendations of the “SAKSHAM” report.

Further, the Central Government has enacted the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 for protection of all women employees (teaching, non teaching), whether permanent or temporary. The UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2012 prohibit discrimination/harassment, on the basis of gender, in Higher Educational Institutions. These interventions by the Central Government and the UGC seek to prevent and prohibit sexual harassment and assault in higher educational institutions.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has also issued an Advisory to State Governments, under Section 35 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, for elimination of corporal punishment in Schools. These guidelines are available at http:// www.ncpcr.gov.in/view_file.php?fid=108.