Internal Complaint Committee

University is not only a ‘workplace’ where faculty and nonteaching staff are employed but is also a seat of learning where students come to learn and get knowledge to shape up their careers, to realise their full potential as individuals. Over a period of time the University has shown increasing trend in more and more female students taking admissions and participating in higher studies. It is therefore imperative that all students, particularly female students, are provided with a safe and dignified environment in which they are able to achieve these goals, because only then will they be able to realise the constitutional promise of equality. The goal of Sexual Harassment policy is to end the problem faced by the student/employee through an internal system of relief that is easy to access, and thereby to provide an effective remedy to the aggrieved complainant as quickly as possible so that s/he can continue to study and develop without further impediments. The larger perspective guiding sexual harassment policy is to be educational, preventive, corrective and, when punitive, to carry out processes following a complaint with sensitivity, rigour and justice.

It is in place to mention that in its landmark judgment in 1997 (following Vishaka vs. State of Rajasthan), the Supreme Court had for the first time, acknowledged sexual harassment against women as a human rights violation, and outlined guidelines making it mandatory for employers to provide for sympathetic and non-retributive mechanisms to enforce the right to gender equality for working women. The Justice Verma committee in 2013 placed the onus to provide “Adequate Safety Measures and Amenities in Respect of Women” squarely on the state and its various functionaries. Sexual harassment is now considered as a violation of the fundamental right of a woman to equality as guaranteed under Article 14 and 15 of the Constitution of India and her right to life and to live with dignity as per Article 21 of the Constitution. It has also been considered as a violation of a right to practice or to carry out any occupation, trade or business under Article 19 (1) (g) of the Constitution which includes a right to a safe environment free from harassment. The definition of sexual harassment in the Act of 2013 is broadly in line with the Apex Court’s definition in the Vishaka Judgment. It also stipulates that a woman shall not be subjected to sexual harassment at any workplace.

The St. Xavier's' College is committed to create and maintain a community in which students, teachers and non-teaching staff can work together in an environment free of violence, harassment, exploitation and intimidation. Every member of the University community should be aware that while the University is committed to the right to freedom of expression and association, it strongly supports gender equality.

Objectives of the Policy

The College has set up an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) under the Sexual Harassment Act. The goal of the Sexual harassment policy is to end the problem faced by the student/employee through an internal system of relief that is easy to access, and thereby provides an effective remedy to the aggrieved complainant as quickly as possible so that she can continue to study and develop without further impediments. This is very important to recognize for two reasons. One, in relation to how cases are resolved, in that redressal does not necessarily have to be punitive and instead may be educational, (depending it is openly discussed at forums which are attended by both teachers and students; women students are encouraged to speak up freely in class or elsewhere. In this background the College Sexual harassment policy has the following objectives:

1. To fulfil the directive of the Supreme Court enjoining all employers to develop and implement a policy against sexual harassment at the work place.
2. To evolve a permanent mechanism for the prevention and redressal of sexual harassment cases and other acts of gender-based violence at the St. Xavier College.
3. To ensure the implementation of the policy in letter and spirit through proper reporting of the complaints and their follow-up procedures.
4. To uphold the commitment of the University to provide an environment free of gender- based discrimination.
5. To create a secure physical and social environment which will deter acts of sexual harassment.

Jurisdiction

The rules and regulations outlined in this policy shall be applicable to all complaints of sexual harassment made:

1. By a member of the College against any other member of the College irrespective of whether the harassment is alleged to have taken place within or outside the campus.
2. By an outsider against a member of the College or by a member of the College against an outsider if the sexual harassment is alleged to have taken place within the campus.
3. By a member of the College against an outsider if the sexual harassment is alleged to have taken place outside the campus. In such cases the Committee shall recommend that the College authorities initiate action by making a complaint with the appropriate authority. Further the committee will actively assist and provide available resources to the complainant in pursuing the complaint.

In the above the following definitions will apply:

• 'Members of the College' includes students, teachers and non-teaching staff of the College.
• 'Students' includes regular students as well as current/ex-students of St. Xavier College.
• 'Teachers' includes any person on the staff of the college who is appointed to a teaching and/or research post, whether full time, temporary, ad-hoc, part-time, visiting, honorary, or on special duty or deputation and shall include employees employed on a casual or project basis.
• 'Non-teaching Staff' includes any person on the staff of the college who is not included in the category of teacher. It shall also include contract workers and daily wagers.
• 'Resident' includes any person who is a temporary or permanent resident of any of the accommodations or premises allotted to an employee by the St. Xavier College.
• 'Outsider' includes any person who is not a member of the college. It also includes but is not limited to any private person offering residential, food and other facilities to members of college.
• 'Campus' includes all places of work and residence in the St. Xavier College. It includes all places of instruction, research and administration, as well as hostel, health centres, sports grounds, staff quarters, public places (including parks, streets and lanes) and canteens, etc. on the College campus.

Power and Duties of ICC

Preventive:

1. To create and ensure a safe environment that is free of sexual harassment.
2. To create an atmosphere promoting equality and gender justice.
3. To publicise the policy in Hindi and English widely, especially through website and notice boards.
4. To publicise in English and in Hindi the names and phone numbers of members of the committees.
5. To plan and carry out programmes for gender sensitisation (through workshops, seminars, posters, film shows, debates, skits) either independently or with the assistance of the Gender Sensitising Committee.

Remedial:

1. The mechanism for registering complaints should be safe, accessible and sensitive.
2. To take cognisance of complaints about sexual harassment, conduct enquiries, provide assistance and redressal to the victims, recommend penalties and take action against the harasser, if necessary.
3. To recommend to the concerned authorities follow-up action and monitor the same.
4. To advise the disciplinary authority concerned to issue warnings or take the help of the law to stop the harasser, if the complainant consents.
5. To seek medical, police and legal intervention with the consent of the complainant.
6. To make arrangements for appropriate psychological and emotional support (in the form of counselling, security and other assistance) to the victim if she so desires.

This is hereby clarified that St. Xavier’s College shall comply the guidelines of the Apex court in Vishakha case and provisions of the Sexual harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 and rules made there under other laws of the land made in this regard.

S. No.	Name	Department	Designation
1	Dr. Bharti Singh Raipat	H.O.D. Zoology	Presiding Officer
2	Dr. Sanjay Kumar	H.O.D. Physics	Member
3	Dr. Sanjay Kumar Sinha	H.O.D. History - DSW	Member
4	Dr. Meltina Toppo	Hindi	Member
5	Ms. Vandana Tete	Founder, Pyara Kerketta Foundation	Member
6	Ms. Reshma Singh	State Trainer, Dhwani Foundation	Member
7	Dr. Madhulika Singh	Botany	Member
8	Dr. Anupama Bhargava	Education	Member
9	Ms. Sakshi	Zoology, PG Sem I	Student Representative
10	Ms. Shristi	B.Ed., 2nd Year	Student Representative
11	One Student	PG Commerce	Student Representative