Lok Sabha Question No. 3682 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-19
Subject: Harassment in Higher Education Institutions
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: ANIRUDHAN SAMPATH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.3682 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2018

## Harassment in Higher Education Institutions

## 3682. DR. A. SAMPATH:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state: (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  the  issues  of  harassment,  bullying  and discrimination by the students and institutions of higher education are unfortunately still on rise; (b) if so, the details thereof; and (c)  the  corrective  measures  that  have  been  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the

- Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. SATYA PAL SINGH)

- (a)  &  (b):  The  University  Grants  Commission  (UGC)  has  informed  that  149  cases  of sexual  harassment  have  been  reported  from  Universities  and  39  cases  have  been reported from Colleges/Institutions during the year 2016-17 in comparison to 94 cases reported  from  Universities  and  18  cases  reported  from  Colleges/Institutions  during  the year  2015-16.    Further,  901  ragging  cases  have  been  reported  during  2017  in comparison to 515 ragging cases reported during 2016.

(c): UGC had set up a Task Force under the Chairmanship of Prof. Meenakshi Gopinath, Ex-Member, UGC 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. A copy of the Report of Task Force is available at http://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/5873997\_SAKSHAM-BOOK.pdf .

UGC accepted the recommendations of the Task Force and to ensure compliance of  the  recommendations  of  Task  Force,  UGC  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 (HEIs), grievance redressal  mechanism,  process  for  making  complaint  and  conducting  inquiry,  interim redressal,  punishment  and  compensations,  consequences  of  non-compliance  etc. Further, UGC has also notified Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational  Institutions,  2009  and  their  amendments.  These  Regulations  describe measures  for  prohibition  and  prevention  of  ragging  at  institution  level,  duties  and responsibilities of UGC and Councils, administrative action in the event of ragging etc. UGC Regulations, being statutory in nature, are binding for all HEIs.

UGC  has  requested  Universities  to  ensure  strict  compliance  of  these  UGC Regulations in HEIs from time to time. UGC has also developed an Anti-Ragging website which records data on ragging cases in HEIs.

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