COIMBATORE: Citing RTI information, the Marumalarchi Makkal Iyakkam (MMI) has alleged that Internal Complaint Committees (ICCs) are not functioning in most educational institutions in Coimbatore.
MMI President V Eswaran told TNIE, “After the recent spate of sexual assault incidents across several educational institutions, including the Anna University, I filed RTI petitions to the district Chief Educational Office and, office of the Regional Joint Director (RJD) of Collegiate Education, seeking information about the status of ICCs,” he said.
“Out of 2,027 schools in Coimbatore, I received information for only 222 government and matriculation schools. There was no data regarding CBSE schools. The reply revealed that ICC was not formed in the government high school at Tholampalayam in Karamadai block and a few schools in Madukkarai block. In the last two years, five sexual harassment complaints were registered in schools and, FIR were registered in three cases,” he said. Out of 400 colleges in Coimbatore, only five colleges replied and, a sexual harassment case was reported in one college.
Eswaran said though ICC was present in several schools and colleges, meetings were not conducted regularly. Many institutions did not submit ICC annual report to the departments concerned. “In fact, the district school education department and the office of the RJD, Coimbatore do not have ICC details,” he alleged and said safety of girl students is at risk in such institutions.
When asked about it, Regional Joint Director, Coimbatore region, V Kalaiselvi said ICC functioned in all colleges, adding she had directed 182 colleges to provide details to Eswaran.
Repeated attempts to reach Chief Educational Officer R Balamurali went in vain.