Policy Statement

Pandit Raghunath Murmu Smriti Mahavidyalaya is dedicated to ensuring a workplace and study environment free from sexual harassment. Everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect, and to have a safe and healthy work environment. Sexual harassment undermines an individual's right to work and live with dignity. Pandit Raghunath Murmu Smriti Mahavidyalaya upholds a Zero Tolerance Policy towards such incidents, which will be addressed with utmost seriousness and prompt action.

About Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, enacted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, aims to ensure a safe, secure, and enabling environment free from sexual harassment for all women. On May 2, 2016, the Ministry of Human Resource Development issued a notification that led to the University Grants Commission (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulation, 2015. This comprehensive legislation was created to address a legislative gap partially filled by the judiciary in the 1997 Vishaka and Others v. State of Rajasthan and Others case, where the Supreme Court of India established the "Vishaka Guidelines" for handling workplace sexual harassment cases, now codified in the POSH Act.
The POSH Act mandates that employers comply with certain statutory requirements, including the establishment of an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC). This committee is tasked with receiving complaints from women regarding sexual harassment in the workplace, investigating these complaints, and making recommendations to the employer based on their findings.
The UGC Regulation emphasizes the responsibility of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to take decisive action against all forms of gender-based violence against employees and students of all genders, reaffirming their commitment to creating a campus environment free from discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and any form of sexual assault.
According to Supreme Court Guidelines Sexual Harassment can be defined as unwelcome sexually determined behavior whether directly or by implication as :-

1. Physical contact and advances
2. Demand or request for sexual favours
3. Making sexually coloured remarks
4. Showing pornography
5. Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or nonverbal conduct of sexual nature.

Objective of ICC

1. To ensure consistent action in preventing, prohibiting, and addressing complaints related to sexual harassment and gender discrimination of female employees in the workplace.
2. To prevent gender discrimination and sexual harassment by promoting gender sensitization among the students and employees.
3. To provide recommendations to the administration for establishing procedures to prevent, resolve, and address acts of discrimination and sexual harassment involving students and employees.
4. To deal with the cases of discrimination and sexual harassment of a women employee in a time bound manner aiming at ensuring support services to the victim and termination of harassment.
5. To recommend appropriate punitive action against the guilty party.
6. Continuously monitor internal processes to ensure the safety of female workers.
7. Provide recommendations to the employer on necessary changes to policies, processes, and procedures to enhance employee safety and prevent any form of sexual harassment.

Responsibilities

1. Incorporate the essence of the act into the policy and regulations on preventing and prohibiting sexual harassment against employees and students. Amend ordinances and rules to align with the requirements of the Regulations.
2. Publicly announce the provisions against sexual harassment, ensure wide dissemination, and sensitize students, faculty, and employees about the sexual harassment guidelines.
3. Organize training programs or as the case maybe, workshops for, faculty and students, (Measures for Ensuring the Safety of Women and Programs for Gender Sensitization on Campuses) of the Institution, to sensitize them and ensure knowledge and awareness of the rights, entitlements and responsibilities enriched in the Act and under these regulations.
4. Take decisive action against all forms of gender-based violence against employees and students, recognizing that women employees, students, some male students, and students of the third gender are particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment, humiliation, and exploitation.
5. Publicly commit to a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment.
6. Reaffirm the commitment to creating a campus free from discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or sexual assault at all levels.
7. Raise awareness about what constitutes sexual harassment, including hostile environment harassment and quid pro quo harassment.
8. Include information in the prospectus and prominently display penalties and consequences of sexual harassment on notice boards. Inform the institutional community about the mechanisms for addressing complaints, contact details of the Internal Complaints Committee members, and the complaint procedures.
9. Provide counselling services to complainants through the Psychological Counselling Cell.

Work of Committee

1. The Committee maintains a register to document complaints and maintains confidentiality of the contents, unless needed for a discreet investigation.
2. The Committee will meet with the complainant within five days of receiving the complaint, but no later than a week.
3. In the first meeting, Committee members will listen to the complainant and record her allegations. The complainant can provide any supporting material, including documentary proof, oral or written evidence, to substantiate the complaint.
4. Subsequently, the accused may be called to appear before the Committee and given an opportunity to explain their side, followed by an "Enquiry."
5. If the complaint does not fall under the scope of sexual harassment or does not constitute an offense of sexual harassment, it will be dismissed with recorded reasons. If the complaint is found to be false, the complainant may face appropriate disciplinary action by the College Authority.

Details of Committee Members

Pandit Raghunath Murmu Smriti Mahavidyalaya has formed its Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) as per POSH Act 2013.
The ICC of PRMS Mahavidyalaya is as follows:

Complaint Registration

Register your complaint related to Sexual Harassment with any member of the College ICC. Also a Complaint Box has been displayed near the office of the College for reporting of grievances.