Lok Sabha Question No. 4620 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-23
Subject: Sexual Harassment of Women in Educational Institutions
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: MAULANA BADRUDDIN AJMAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4620 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.03.2018

## SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WOMEN IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

## 4620.      SHRI BADRUDDIN AJMAL:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  received  complaints  about  harassment  and  sexual exploitation of women staff in educational institutions;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  concrete  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard;
- (c) whether it comes under the ambit of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, whether the Government proposes to bring it under the said Act and if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI)

- (a) to (e) : The Sexual Harassment of Women  at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 mandates all the workplace which include any department, organisation, undertaking, establishment, institutions, office, branch or unit which is established, owned, controlled or wholly or substantially financed by funds  provided  directly  or  indirectly  by  the  appropriate  Government  or  the  local authority  or  a  Government  company  or  a  corporation  or  a  co-operative  society having more than 10 workers to constitute Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) for receiving complaints of sexual harassment. Educational Institutions are also covered under the Act.

The  Act  cast  an  obligation  upon  all  the  employers  to  constitute  Internal Complaint  Committee.  If  any  employer  fails  to  constitute  an  Internal  Complaint Committee, or contravenes or attempts or abets contravention of other provisions of this Act or any rules made there under, he shall be punishable with fine which may extend  to  fifty  thousand  rupees.  The  Act  has  empowered  Internal  Complaints Committees to deal with such complaints effectively and in a time bound manner.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) had set up a Task Force to review the existing arrangements for the safety and security of girls and women in particular and of the entire youth in general on campuses of institutions of higher learning. The Task Force submitted its report titled as 'Saksham- Measures for Ensuring the Safety of Women and Programmes for Gender Sensitization on Campuses' to the UGC on 30 th October, 2013.

The recommendations of the Task Force have been accepted by UGC.  UGC has notified University Grants Commission (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual  Harassment  of  Women  Employees  and  Students  in  Higher  Educational Institutions)  Regulations,  2015.  These  Regulations  describe  responsibilities  of  the Higher Educational Institutions, grievance redressal mechanism, process for making complaint and conducting inquiry, interim redressal punishment and compensations, consequences of non-compliance etc. UGC has issued advisory to all Universities to ensure strict compliance of these UGC Regulations in Higher Educational Institutions.

As informed by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), 10 complaints about harassment and sexual exploitations of women staff in Educational Institutions have been  received.  KVS  has  constituted  the  'Complaint  Redressal  Committee'  at  Head Quarter level as well as at the Regional Offices to tackle the sexual harassment cases against  the  women  employees. KVS also  conducts various gender sensitization and awareness programmes through training/workshops.

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