Question : Grievance Redressal Mechanism

(a) whether the Government proposes to set up grievance redressal mechanism for students and applicants for admission in higher educational institutions and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has asked all institutions affiliated to the University Grants Commission, All India Council for Technical Education and National Council for Teachers Education to establish a grievance redressal mechanism and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government also proposes to appoint an Ombudsman with judicial or legal experience to address the grievances of students and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the time by which the final decision is likely to be taken in this regard?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)


(a) to (d) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.237 FOR ANSWER ON 05.08.2015 ASKED BY SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV AND SHRI RAMDAS C.TADAS, HON’BLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL MECHANISM


(a): Yes, Madam. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has informed that a Student Grievance Redressal Portal at www.ugc.ac.in/gv1/ has been launched by the UGC on 23rd March, 2015. The basic aim of the portal is to ensure transparency in admissions, prevent unfair practices in higher educational institutions and provide effective mechanism for redressal of grievances. The grievances lodged are forwarded to the Nodal Officer of the concerned University, who is also responsible for redressal of the grievances related to the affiliated colleges under that University. Online grievance redressal for All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) approved technical institutions has also been recently started through the “Know Your College” Portal at http://www.knowyourcollege-gov.in/.

(b) to (d): The UGC and the AICTE have notified the UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulations, 2012 and the AICTE (Establishment of Mechanism for Grievance Redressal) Regulations, 2012, respectively with the objective of establishing a grievance redressal mechanism in the higher educational institutions regulated by them. These regulations are available at http://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/0588502_English.pdf and http://www.aicte-india.org/downloads/AICTE%20(Establishment%20of%20Mechanism%20for%20Grievance%20Redressal)%20Regulations,%202012.pdf
Under these Regulations, each university/technical institution shall appoint an Ombudsman for redressal of grievances of students. The Ombudsman shall be a person who has been a Judge not below the rank of a District Judge or a retired Professor who has at least 10 years experience. The Regulations also prescribe the terms of appointment, tenure, removal and other conditions of service of the Ombudsman.
The National Council for Technical Education (NCTE) has launched a Grievance Redressal Helpline at Toll Free Number – 1800 1100 39 for providing a platform to students, teachers and public at large for seeking any clarification regarding issues pertaining to NCTE.
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