UGC does away with disputed ombudsman regulation

As per the UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulations 2012, all higher education institutions (HIE) are required to appoint an ombudsman for redressing grievances of students.
UGC head office (File photo | PTI)
UGC head office (File photo | PTI)

HYDERABAD: Faced with complaints from educational institutions, the University Grants Commission has revamped its grievance regulations with ‘improvements’. The latest version of the UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulations 2018, which has now been put online for feedback from the public, has tweaked the provisions for the appointment of an ombudsman.

As per the UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulations 2012, all higher education institutions (HIE) are required to appoint an ombudsman for redressing grievances of students. Of the three central universities in the city, only the University of Hyderabad has this figure to arbitrate as an impartial authority. 

Much to the relief of HIEs the UGC has done away with the most controversial aspect of the regulation that the ombudsman has to be a retired district judge or above in rank. The latest draft policy advocates that this person now can be a retired VC or registrar or a faculty with 10 years of experience as professor. Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Gachibowli had, in fact, written to the UGC regarding the “cumbersome appointment process” of the ombudsman when the latter sought comments on the Regulation.

“We do not have an ombudsman. In fact, most colleges and universities don’t have it and those claim to have it, have it only on the paper. Therefore, a redo of the rules were required since it was not implementable in the current state,” said MA Sikandar, registrar.At present, the varsity has an internal grievance redressal cell, headed by the dean of students welfare and assisted by 4-5 other senior professors of the varsity. Prof Parvaiz Ahmed, Vice Chancellor whoever said that the varsity was in the process to establish the body as per the regulations of UGC.

UoH had appointed Justice (retired) Vishnu Prasad Reddy as the Ombudsman in 2016, nearly three years after the regulation made its appearance in the Gazette of India. An official from the university said that the University is proactive in following the protocol. “Now the revised measures state that universities have to propose three names of which one will be approved by the UGC,” he said.   

At English and Foreign Languages University too, the ombudsman was conspicuous by its absence though the varsity has sexual harassment, anti discrimination cell and a portal where all other grievances are uploaded and disposed off within a couple of weeks. 
 

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