Redressal

Online Grievance Redressal Mechanism

6.50 Establishment of Online Grievance Redressal Mechanism as specified in the Approval Process Handbook* as well as the Grievance Redressal Committee in the Institution. Appointment of Om budsman by the University. (As per All India Council for Technical Education (Redressal of Grievance of Students) Regulation, 2019 vide F. No.1-101/PGRC/AICTE/Regulation/2019 dated 07.11.2019) *All India Council for Technical Education (Redressal of Grievance of Faculty/ Staff Member) Regulations, 2021 vide F.No.1- 103/ AICTE/PGRC/Regulation/2021dated 25.03.2021.

a. Grievance Redressal Mechanism: In order to provide opportunities for redressal of certain grievances of students already enrolled in any institution, as well as for those seeking admission to such institutions, AICTE has notified All India Council for Technical Education (Redressal of Grievance of Students) Regulations, 2019 vide F. No. 1-101/PGRC/AICTE/ Regulation/2019 dated 07.11.2019 for establishment of grievance redressal mechanism for all AICTE approved Technical Institutions. Non- compliance of the above Regulations shall call for punitive action.

b. Redressal Cell (GRC) for Faculty/Staff: Implementation of the above shall be in line with norms prescribed in All India Council for Technical Education (Redressal of Grievance of Students) Regulations, 2019 vide F. No. 1-101/PGRC/AICTE/Regulation/2019 dated 07.11.2019 available on AICTE website. Approval Process Handbook 2024-2027 65

c. Student Grievance Redressal Committee (SGRC) i. A complaint from an aggrieved student relating to the institution shall be addressed to the Chairperson, Student Grievance Redressal Committee (SGRC). ii. Every AICTE approved institution shall constitute Student Grievance Redressal Committee (SGRC) with the following composition, namely: iii. Principal of the College- Chairperson; iv. Three senior members of the teaching faculty to be nominated by the Principal as Members and out of three one member shall be female and other from SC/ST/OBC category; v. A representative from among students of the College to be nominated by the Principal based on academic merit/excellence in sports/performance in co- curricular activities- Special Invitee. vi. The term of the members and the special invitee shall be of two years. vii. The quorum for the meeting including the Chairperson, but excluding the special invitee, shall be three. viii. In considering the grievances before it, the SGRC shall follow principles of natural justice.

ix. The SGRC shall send its report with recommendations, if any, to the concerned institution and a copy thereof to the aggrieved student, within a period of 15 days from the date of receipt of the complaint. x. Any student aggrieved by the decision of the SGRC may prefer an appeal to the Ombudsperson, within a period of fifteen days from the date of receipt of such decision.

d. Appointment of OMBUDSMAN by the University i. Each affiliating University, Technical University, Private University, Deemed to be University shall appoint Ombudsperson for redressal of grievances of students under the UGC (Redress of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2019. ii. There shall be one or more part-time functionaries designated as Ombudsperson to hear, and decide on, appeals preferred against the decisions of the SGRCs. iii. For institutions which are offering diploma level course(s) and are affiliated to the Board of Technical Education (BTE), the concerned Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) shall appoint an Ombudsperson for redressal of grievances of students. iv. For institutions which are not affiliated to any University and offering Diploma, Post Diploma, Post Graduate Certificate, Post Graduate Diploma Course(s) in Management, Computer Applications & Travel and Tourism, the Council shall appoint an Ombudsperson for redressal of grievances of students. v. The Ombudsperson shall be a Retired District Judge or a retired Vice Chancellor or Professor (who has worked as Dean/HOD and 10 years’ experience as Professor at State/Central Universities/ Institution of eminence). vi. The Ombudsperson shall not, at the time of appointment, during one year before appointment, or in the course of his tenure as Ombudsperson, be in a conflict of interest with the Institution where his/her personal relationship, professional affiliation or financial interest may compromise or reasonably appear to compromise, the independence of judgement toward the Institution. vii. The Ombudsperson shall be appointed for a period of three years or until he or she attains the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier, from the date of assuming office, and shall be eligible for reappointment for another one term for the same State or region, as the case may be. viii. For conducting the hearings, the Ombudsperson shall be paid a sitting fee, per diem, in accordance with the norms fixed by the Council, and shall, in addition, be eligible for reimbursement of the expenditure incurred on conveyance. Approval Process Handbook 2024-2027 66 ix. The State Government, in the case of an Ombudsperson of a State, and the Council (for Council appointed Ombudsperson), may remove the Ombudsperson from office, on charges of proven misconduct or misbehaviour as defined under these Regulations. x. No order of removal of Ombudsperson shall be made except after an inquiry made in this regard by a person not below the rank of judge of the High Court in which a reasonable opportunity of being heard is given to the Ombudsperson. xi. An institution shall furnish, prominently, on its website and in its prospectus, all relevant information in respect of the Students Grievance Redressal Committee(s) coming in its purview, and the Ombudsperson for the purpose of appeals.

e. Functions of Ombudsperson: i. The Ombudsperson shall hear appeals from an aggrieved student(s), only after the student has availed all other remedies provided under these Regulations. ii. While issues of malpractices in the conduct of examination or in the process of evaluation may be referred to the Ombudsperson, no appeal or application for revaluation or re-totalling of answer sheets from an examination, shall be entertained by the Ombudsperson unless specific irregularity materially affecting the outcome of specific instance of discrimination is indicated. iii. The Ombudsperson may avail assistance of any person, as amicus curiae, for hearing complaints of alleged discrimination. iv. The Ombudsperson shall make all efforts to resolve the grievances within a period of 30 days of receiving the appeal from the aggrieved student(s). g. Procedure for Redressal of Grievances by Ombudspersons and Student Grievance Redressal Committees: i. Each institution shall, within a period of three months from the date of issue of this notification, have an online portal where any aggrieved student may submit an application seeking redressal of grievance. ii. On receipt of an online complaint, the institution shall refer the complaint to the appropriate Student Grievance Redressal Committee, along with its comments within 15 days of receipt of complaint on the online portal. iii. The Student Grievance Redressal Committee, as the case may be, shall fix a date for hearing the complaint which shall be communicated to the institution and the aggrieved student. iv. An aggrieved person may appear either in person or authorize a representative to present his/her case. v. Grievances not resolved by the Student Grievance Redressal Committee shall be referred to the Ombudsperson, within the time period provided in these Regulations. vi. Institutions shall extend co-operation to the Ombudsperson or the Student Grievance Redressal Committee, in early redressal of grievances; and failure to do so may be reported by the Ombudsperson to the Council, which shall take action in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations. vii. The Ombudsperson shall, after giving reasonable opportunities of being heard to both parties, on the conclusion of proceedings, pass such order, with reasons therefore as may be deemed fit to redress the grievance and provide such relief as may be appropriate to the aggrieved student. viii. The Institution, as well as the aggrieved student, shall be provided with copies of the order under the signature of the Ombudsperson, and the institution shall place it for general information on its website. ix. The Institution shall comply with the recommendations of the Ombudsperson; and the Ombudsperson shall report to the Council any failure on the part of the institution to comply with the recommendations. Approval Process Handbook 2024-2027 67 x. The Ombusperson may recommend appropriate action against the complainant, where a complaint is found to be false or frivolous.

f. Consequences of Non-Compliance: The Council shall in respect of any Technical institution, which wilfully contravenes or repeatedly fails to comply with the recommendation of the Ombudsperson or the Student Grievance Redressal Committee, as the case may be, proceed to take one or more of the following actions, namely: i. Withdrawal of approval granted to the Technical Institution; ii. Withdrawal of declaration of fitness or entitlement to receive grants or financial assistance from the Council; iii. withholding any grant allocated to the Technical Institution; iv. Declaring the institution ineligible for consideration for any assistance under any of the general or special assistance programs of the Council; v. Informing the general public, including potential candidates for admission, through a notice displayed prominently in suitable media and posted on the website of Council, declaring that the institution does not possess the minimum standards for redressal of grievances; vi. Recommend to the affiliating University for withdrawal of affiliation, in case of a University affiliated institution or DTE affiliated institution; vii. Such other action may be deemed necessary and appropriate against an institution for non- compliance. viii. Provided that no action shall be taken by the Council under these Regulations, unless the institution has been given an opportunity to explain its position and an opportunity of being heard has been provided to it.

Students and Staff may file complaints for redressal of their Grievance if any to the mail asacollege366@gmail.com Stating “Request for Redressal of Grievance” in the Subject.