UGC frames new guidelines on women’s safety in all institutions; invites suggestions

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has drafted guidelines to create a safe, secure and gender equitable environment in all higher educational institutions (HEIs).

The commission has also invited suggestions on “Guidelines for basic facilities and amenities for secure environment for women on campuses and Women Cell (for sensitization, policy implementation, monitoring and grievance redressal) in higher educational institutions” by November 14, 2022.

The fresh guidelines drafted by the UGC are broadly classified into - Infrastructural facilities and amenities for a safe and secure environment and Women Cells for sensitization, policy implementation, monitoring and grievance redressal.

The committee observed that there is a strong need to challenge the culture of silence that perpetuate the acts of violence against women, be it within the campus or outside, it said in a statement.

Also read | ‘Missing’: IIT Bombay students take a dig at Gender Cell after 'inaction on women's safety'

New UGC guidelines

Highlighting the need for gender sensitisation, the UGC in the new guidelines said, “To provide a safe, secure and violence free environment to all the students particularly the women students is the utmost responsibility of the institutions.”

UGC said it is aware of “the prevailing practices of masculinities in the functioning of educational institutions that posed a real hurdle in the effective implementation of policies meant to combat sexual harassment and gender based violence in higher educational institutions (HEIs),” in the draft guidelines, adding it is mandatory to implement the UGC guidelines as a multi-dimensional redressal mechanism. UGC has suggested the following fresh guidelines.

• Students should be provided with a handbook at the time of admission that would contain detailed information about rules and regulations regarding proper conduct.
• It should list the helpline numbers of ICC members, student counsellors, anti-ragging cell, proctor office, medical emergencies, health centre, canteen, and other university authorities to be approached in case of need.
• Professional counseling services should be available on the campus to address the psychological and emotional concerns of the students.
• The HEIs should ensure easy access to basic sanitation and hygiene facilities for women.
• A sufficient number of female security guards should be hired from credible security firms.
• Boundary wall provisions are essential for ensuring the safety of students especially where campuses are located in rural or out of town, secluded areas. In this regard the university/college premises must have a boundary wall to curtail unauthorized access of outsiders to the campus.

Also read | DCW issues notice to police after men 'climb' walls of Miranda House to see Diwali fest

• All the public spaces on the campus should be under CCTV coverage with a centralized surveillance system to monitor the behavior and activities of students, staff, and visitors.
• The HEIs should build more hostels for women and all women students who need hostel rooms should be given this facility.