256 State Universities, NEHU Flout Student Grievance Redressal Norms: UGC

UGC notified the Redressal of Grievances of Students Regulations, 2023 on 11 April 2023 and requested universities to appoint Ombudsperson(s) within 30 days

In a stern public notice, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has highlighted a significant lapse in adherence to the University Grants Commission (Redressal of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2023. Despite multiple reminders, 256 state universities have failed to appoint Ombudsmen for the redressal of students' grievances, as mandated by the regulations.

The UGC, in its official communication, specified that the regulations were officially notified in the Official Gazette on April 11, 2023, and universities were given a 30-day window to appoint Ombudsperson(s). The commission expressed its concern over the lack of compliance, despite follow-up reminders issued on multiple occasions.

In the most recent communication on December 5, 2023, universities were once again urged to appoint Ombudsperson(s) and implement other provisions of the UGC Regulations by December 31, 2023. The notice explicitly mentioned that the list of non-compliant universities would be made public on the UGC website.

The UGC has released the list of universities that have not appointed Ombudsperson(s) as required. The notice encourages universities that have appointed Ombudsperson(s) subsequently to communicate the details to specific email addresses provided for different categories of universities.

To rectify any errors or discrepancies, universities that have already appointed Ombudsperson(s) but find their names on the list are advised to contact the specified email addresses corresponding to their university type.

In an effort to ensure transparency, the UGC has called upon universities and their affiliated colleges to prominently display the particulars and contact details of the Ombudsperson(s) and Students Grievance Redressal Committee (SGRC) on their websites and at visible locations on their campuses.

Additionally, stakeholders and the general public are invited to write to the provided emails in case any university or college lacks an Ombudsperson/SGRC or if their details are not accessible in the public domain. The UGC emphasizes the importance of a robust grievance redressal mechanism for students and encourages proactive measures from the universities to comply with the regulations promptly.