About Internal Complaint Committee (ICC)
As per the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013, also known as the ‘PoSH Act,’ P P Savani University has formed the Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) at the University level in the year 2017.
To address and prevent workplace harassment, particularly sexual harassment, the Internal Complaints Committee is essential.
This committee aims to make the workplace safer for women and girls students by halting, restricting, and resolving sexual misconduct against them in the organization. Along with, protecting women against gender discrimination, and any form of harassment and providing means of redress if such a case arises.
Vision
"To foster a culture of inclusivity, equality, dignity for all along with protecting women against gender discrimination, and any form of harassment and providing means of redress if such a case arises”.
Mission
To establish a safe atmosphere in both the physical and social realms to prevent sexual harassment
Committed to staff members the freedom to report harassment of any kind without worrying about repercussions.
To ensure that grievances will be treated delicately and with the utmost secrecy.
To ensure that anti-harassment policies and procedures comply with the most recent legislative requirements by reviewing and updating them whenever required.
To organize expert sessions, training sessions, and awareness campaigns to educate staff members on their legal obligations and the value of a harassment-free workplace.
Principles
The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in its preamble, fundamental rights, fundamental duties, and directive principles. The Constitution not only grants equality to women but also empowers the State to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favor of women
- It should maintain the confidentiality of all matters discussed by the PPSU’s ICC
- Unbiased, Independence, simplicity and Fairness
- No opinion expressed about any ICC at PPSU outside the Committee.
- All members availability and approachability at all times
- Maintenance of Proper conduct by the members at all times
Functions
- Assure the safe working environment at the campus which shall include safety from the persons coming into contact at the University
- To create an effective organizational structure for improving the status of women in the institution.
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The committee shall advise the management about a broad range of issues and concerns that influence women's work lives and status in the institution at all levels and in every aspect of operations and educational programs. Issues may include, but or not limited to:
- Equity for women in the organization concerning hiring, promotion, and compensation.
- Specific strategies for women to achieve upward mobility.
- Strategies for increasing the representation of women throughout upper levels of the organization and in areas where women are generally underrepresented
- Educational programs for the workforce regarding gender equity, work-life balance, etc.
- To sensitize all members of the University community towards the Supreme Court and statutory mandate prohibiting gender discrimination and sexual harassment at the Institute and encourage involvement through academic, cultural, and outreach activities such as talks, seminars, workshops, community action, drama, street theatre, poster-making, etc.
- Organize workshops and awareness programs at regular intervals to sensitize the employees and students to the provisions of the Act and orientation programs for the members of the Internal Complaint Committee in the manner as may be prescribed.
- To encourage participation from NGOs and law enforcement agencies for dialogue, discussion, and deliberation on women’s rights and gender-related issues
- To provide a platform for registering complaints in the context of sexual harassment and to provide necessary facilities to the Committee for dealing with such complaints and conducting an inquiry for the same
- To become a resource center for women and provide a forum for the exchange of ideas
- To review safety and security measures for female employees and female students at the PP Savani University campus.
- Treat sexual harassment as misconduct under the service rules and initiate action for such misconduct.
Rules and regulations
The ICC is constituted to help maintain a harmonious atmosphere at the Institute, and to enable women to pursue their work with dignity and reassurance. The Cell has been working to raise awareness of gender equality issues.
This Cell functions as the "Complaints Committee" as required by the "Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013".
The institute is committed to maintaining a professional learning and working environment for its students, employees, and guests. One of the Women Cells’ mandates is to prevent gender discrimination and inappropriate sexual conduct. This is best achieved through promoting gender sensitivity and justice amongst all PPSU’s employees.
Recommendations
Do’s
- Show and treat everyone in the Institute with respect.
- Any individual can ask that the door of an office be left open during any interaction.
- Any individual can request that meetings take place only during standard working hours and not in isolated areas.
Any individual can request that meetings and study sessions take place in well-lit public spaces rather than in rooms with limited access from the outside or in rooms that are private to one individual.
Don't's
- Avoid touching any person or staring at a person, unnecessarily
- Do not make sexist remarks or jokes that demean or humiliate any gender or category of people.
- Do not take pictures, videos, or oral recordings of anyone without their freely given consent.
- Any written, multimedia, pictures, videos, or oral recordings of a private sexual nature cannot be shared through e-mail, regular posts, on social media (WhatsApp/Facebook/Instagram/Snapchat, etc.), or other websites.
- Do not send mixed signals – be firm and committed in your decision regarding any uncomfortable/unwanted action.
- Do not send suggestive Whatsapp / SMS messages
Definitions
- "Campus" means the main campus of the University.
- "Employer" means Director General, Registrar, Directors, Deans of PPSU, including In-Charge Officer.
- "Employee" means every person in the employment of the University to which these Directions are applicable, including any teaching/non-teaching staff or officers, temporary, part‐time, honorary, and visiting persons, adjunct faculty engaged in any duties by whatever designation called and also employees employed on a leave vacancy, casual or project basis or also employed through a contractor.
- "Aggrieved woman" means- (i) about a workplace, a woman, of any age whether employed or not, who alleges to have been subjected to any act of sexual harassment by the respondent; (ii) about a dwelling place or house, a woman of any age who is employed in such a dwelling place or house;
- "Counsellor" includes any woman employee, appointed by the University as Woman Counsellor in the Women Cell.
- "Expert" means any person who has done or is engaged in research work in any University and/or college/institution of academic learning/deemed universities and such others who are engaged in the country or outside in the field of Women’s Studies or Gender Justice.
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"School" means a school established by the University for conducting its courses or for research.
- "Sexual Harassment" includes such unwelcome sexually determined behavior (whether directly or by implication) as (i) Physical contacts and advances; (ii) A demand or request for sexual favors; (iii) Sexually colored remarks; (iv) Showing pornography; (v) Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non‐verbal conduct of sexual nature.
- "Student" includes any person who is enrolled for any course, whether by attendance or by distance education, with the University to which these Directions are applicable and includes – (i) an Undergraduate/Post‐graduate student, a Research Scholar, and a Repeater; (ii) any person, student or ex‐student who has been permitted the use of any of the facilities of the University such as library, laboratory, reading room, gymkhana etc. on the payment of a fee or otherwise
- "University" means P P Savani University (PPSU).
Filing Complaint
The ICC is responsible for receiving and documenting complaints relating to any sort of workplace harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination, or any other unacceptable behavior.
Complaints must be submitted in a “Complaint Registration Form” which is provided on the respective website at icc.cell@ppsu.sc.in
Within 24 hours of online submission, the particular complaint must be physically validated at the ICC office by the complainant (s) for it to be processed by the committee. ICC will conduct a complete, unbiased investigation by maintaining strict confidentiality.
Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) Members
Ms. Ashwini Patil
Professor
Senior Faculty
Dr. Nehal Suthar
Associate Professor
Faculty Member
Mr. Mitul Raj
Assistant Professor
Faculty Member
Mr. Varun Surani
Relationship Manager
Non-Teaching Employee
Ms. Asmita Patel
ERP Coordinator
Non-Teaching Employee
Dr. Hetashri Patel
Surat Coordinator – BKPPDMDS
Member from
Non-government Organization
Ms. Honey Gondaliya
Student
Student Representative
Ms. Vrushali Desai
Student
Student Representative
Ms. Meghna Goswami
Student
Student Representative