INTERNAL COMPLAINT COMMITTEE (ICC)

INTERNAL COMPLAINT COMMITTEE (ICC)

Introduction

1. Shivalik college of Engineering is running under the aegis of Rijan Education Society.  It is a co-educational institute.   As per the provisions of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013, it is Obligatory for the institute to constitute a Sexual Harassment Committee for female employees/girls (students) in the college.
2. The  present  members  of  the  complaints  committee  have  to deal  with  the  complaints  of sexual  harassment  in  accordance  with the guidelines laid down by Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and the Act  mentioned  at  Para  1  above  relating  to  sexual  harassment  of women workers at work places and girls (students).

OBJECTIVE OF INTERNAL COMPLAINT COMMITTEE

As per the AICTE guidelines Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) is formulated with the following objective: 

• The Committee will deal with the cases / complaints of sexual harassment and any other type of harassment of the female students, teaching and non-teaching women staff of the college. 
• The Committee shall process all the individual complaints and take immediate suitable action. 
• The Committee will provide assistance to the Faculty/Colleges for taking preventive steps in the matter of gender discrimination and sexual harassment.
• The Committee may form / review the guidelines / policy for Redressal of the grievance as required from time to time, which may be in accordance with those issued by Supreme Court and Government Agencies. 
• The Committee may also conduct various workshop or other activities to educate the female of the college.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

• Any women employee or female student will have the right to lodge a complaint concerning sexual harassment against a male student or the employee of the institute by writing a letter or putting the complaint in the Grievance complaint box.
• Complaint may be oral, by email iccshivalik@gmail.com or in writing.  If  the  complaint  is  oral,  it  will be  converted  into  a  written form  by  the  Sexual Harassment  Committee  member  who  received the complaint  and     authenticated     by the     complainant under        his/her        signature        as        soon         as         possible.
• The grieved one  may  also  lodge  her  complaint  directly  on  the  given  e-mail  Moreover,  the complaint can also be lodged telephonically to the mobile number of the Chairperson and members of the committee which are available on the notice board.
•  The complaint will be afforded full confidentiality at this stage.
•  After receiving the complaint, the chairman shall convene the meeting of the cell.
•  The chairman will appoint investigation committee, Coordinator will convene the meetings.
• The investigation committee shall then decide the course of action to proceed.
•  The complaint will stand dropped if in accordance to the committee the complaint has not been able to disclose prima-facie an offence of sexual harassment by complainer /her representative.
• In case the investigation committee decides to proceed with the complaint, the wishes of the complainer shall be ascertained and if the complainer wishes that a warning will be suffice then alleged offender shall be called to the meeting of the committee, heard and if satisfied that a warning is just and proper, he will be warned about his behaviour and non-occurrence of it. In case the complainer requests that the complaint should be proceeded with beyond mere a warning, the same may be proceeded with in the manner prescribed hereafter.

PROCEDURE FOR FILING A COMPLAINT/GRIEVANCE WITHOUT REVEALING IDENTITY

• If  the  complainant  does  not  like  to  reveal  her  name  for  any grievance,  she  can  drop  the  grievance(s) in  the  drop  box  placed outside the library. Here, it should be noted that according to the Supreme Court guideline Sexual harassment can be defined as unwelcome”  sexually  determined  behavior  (whether directly  or  by implication)as:-

(a)     Physical contact and advances.

(b)     Demand or request for sexual favors.

(c)     Sexually colored remarks.

(d)     Showing pornography.

(e)     Other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature (Vishaka judgment by Supreme Court) and the Act passed by the Parliament in this regard.

• The following will also be treated as sexual harassment and are covered by the committee:-

(a)     Eve-teasing.

(b)     Unsavory remarks.

(c)      Jokes causing or likely to cause awkwardness or embarrassment.

(d)     Innuendos and taunts.

(e)     Gender based insults or sexist remarks.

(f)      Unwelcome sexual overtone in any manner such as over telephone (obnoxious telephone calls) and the like.

(g)     Touching or brushing against any part of the body and the like.

(h)     Displaying pornographic or other offensive or derogatory pictures, cartoons, pamphlets or sayings.

(i)      Forcible physical touch or molestation.

(j)     Physical confinement against one’s will and any other act likely to violate one’s privacy.

Composition Of Icc Committee

Composition of the Committee is as under:-

Presiding Officer – Head of ICC (a woman Faculty member employed at a senior Level not below an Associate Professor in case of an Institution) at the Educational Institution, nominated by the Executive Authority

Presiding Officer – Sr. Faculty female

Member No. 1 – One faculty female as counsellor
Member No. 2 – Second faculty female
Member No. 3 – Non-Teaching employees
Member No. 4 – Male Faculty
Member No. 5 – Second faculty male
Member No. 6 – Member from amongst Non-government Organisation
Member No 7 – Student 1 (any branch)
Member No 8 – Student 2 (any branch)
Member No 9 – Student 2 (any branch)