More news from HRD Minister Kapil Sibal’s chamber.
As part of the initiative, each institute would be required
to appoint an ombudsman who would be a person with judicial or legal
experience. In case the grievance relates to SCs/STs/OBCs or minorities, the ombudsman
can co-opt a person of eminence from the weaker section to assist him in taking
a decision. The institute would have to appoint him from a panel suggested by
the affiliating university in case of technical and management institutions and
the Central Government in case of deemed universities. “Non-compliance can lead to withdrawal of recognition,” Sibal
states.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development will put in place
a grievance redressal mechanism for students and applicants for admission in
higher educational institutions. The framework will be implemented in all
central universities, IITs, IIMs, NITS, IIITs, private and government-run
deemed universities and all higher educational institutions under various
Central government ministries.
Regulatory bodies such as the University Grants Commission,
All India Council for Technical Education and National Council for TeacherEducation would ask educational institutions to set up grievance redressal
mechanisms.
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| KAPIL SIBAL: SETTING STANDARDS? |
Applicants for admission and students can apply to the
ombudsman for redressal of grievances and s/he would have to give the order
within a month. According to Sibal, students have several grievances at the
time of applying for admission that needs immediate redressal. Sibal indicated
that even the Parliamentary standing committee, in its report on the bill to
prohibit and punish unfair practices, had recommended setting up of grievance
redressal frameworks.
