Internal Complaints Committee

Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)

Albertian Institute of Science & Technology, Kalamassery has constituted Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) envisaged to protect the privileges of women and curb any sexual harassments occurring against them. With a mindfulness being made by the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, ICC will address any such offense or complaints with strict corrective activities which will be at standard with those issued in the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition And Redressal) Act, 2013 distributed in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, PART II-Section 1 under the Legislative Department of Ministry of Law and Justice. Remembering these standards, it is imperative to guarantee a hierarchical atmosphere that is free from separation with a specific spotlight on inappropriate behaviour.

Motto

 Zero Tolerance towards Sexual Harassment

Objectives:

• Prohibition of any various leveled persecution practiced in view of sex imbalance that forbids scholarly or scholastic development.
• Prevention of sexual orientation one-sided disposition with regards to the settling of the viability of work dispensed inside working hours.
• Protection of the basic privileges of women.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Provide assistance if an employee or a student chooses to file a complaint with the police
• Ensure that victims or witnesses are not victimized or discriminated against while dealing with complaints of sexual harassement

Who can approach ICC for help?

Any female employee (faculty, student or staff) of AISAT.

Definition of Sexual Harassment:

“Sexual harassment” includes any unwelcome sexually inclined behaviour, whether directly or indirectly, such as:

• Physical contact and advances
• Demand or request for sexual favours
• Sexually coloured remarks
• Showing any pornography, or
• Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature

Modus Operandi:

On receipt of a written complaint along with supporting documents and names and addresses of witnesses if any, ICC shall conduct preliminary enquiry so as to ascertain the truth of the allegations by collecting the documentary evidence as well as recording statements of any possible witnesses including the complainant. ICC shall then submit the preliminary enquiry report to Principal/Disciplinary Authority along with all the original documents adduced during the preliminary enquiry proceedings. In case the allegations are not in the nature of sexual harassment, ICC may refer such complaints to the Grievance Readdressal cell or to Principal.

Where sexual harassment occurs as a result of an act or omission by any third party or outsider, ICC shall take all steps necessary and reasonable to assist the affected person in terms of support and preventive action.

ICC shall comply with the procedure prescribed in the aforementioned UGC Regulations 2015 and the Sexual Harassment Act for inquiring into the complaint in a time bound manner.

If ICC concludes that the allegations made were false, malicious or the complaint was made knowing it to be untrue or forged or misleading information has been provided during the inquiry, the complainant shall be liable to be punished as per the relevant provision of the aforementioned UGC Regulations 2015.

Convener, ICC shall receive the complaints of sexual harassment, if any, on behalf of ICC and shall co-ordinate the deliberations of the ICC on the complaints received.

Inquiry process:

• The ICC shall, upon receipt of the complaint, send one copy of the compliant to the respondent within a period of seven days of such receipt.
• Upon receipt of the copy the complaint, the respondent shall file his/her reply to the complaint along with the list of documents, names, addresses of witnesses within a period of ten days.
• The inquiry shall be completed within a period of ninety days from the date of the complaint. The inquiry report with recommendations, if any has to be submitted within ten days from the completion of the inquiry to the Executive Authority (EA) of the TI. Copy of the findings or recommendations shall also be served on both parties to complaint.
• The EA of the TI shall act on the recommendations of the committee within a period of thirty days from the receipt of inquiry report, unless an appeal against the findings is filed within that time by either party.
• An appeal against the findings or recommendations of ICC may be filed by either party before EA of TI within a period of thirty days from the date of recommendations.
• If the EA of TI decides not to act as per the recommendations of the ICC, then it shall record the reasons for the same to be conveyed to ICC and both parties to the proceedings. If on the other hand, it is decided to act as per the recommendations of ICC, then a show cause notice, answerable within ten days, shall be served on the party against whom action is decided to be taken. The EA of the TI shall proceed only after considering the reply or hearing the aggrieved person.
• The aggrieved party may seek conciliation in order to settle the matter. No monetary settlement will be made on basis of conciliation. The TI shall facilitate a conciliation process through ICC as the case may be, once it is sought. The resolution to the conflict to the full satisfaction of the aggrieved party wherever possible, is preferably to purely punitive intervention.
• The identities of the aggrieved party or victim or the offender shall not made public or kept in the public domain especially during the process of the inquiry.

What are the possible actions that can be taken against the respondent?

• Warning
• Written apology
• Bond of good behaviour
• Adverse remark in the Confidential Report
• Stopping of increments/promotion
• Suspension
• Dismissal
• Any other relevant actions

 If you think you are harassed or being harassed, what should you do?

Send an email to    [email protected] here. or phone at +91 8138060007

Any bothered woman would hold up the objection in composed could submit it to the ICC.  The Internal Committee may before starting the procedure of request find a way to determine the issue between the distressed lady and the respondent through mollification.Your complaint will be kept CONFIDENTIAL.

The Internal Compliance Committee of Albertian Institute of Science and Technology, Kalamassery is reconstituted with the following members with effect from 25.01.2022

Prof. Kanaka Xavier, Assoc. Prof., EEE, Presiding Officer

Prof. Dr. Seema P.S., Professor, Legal Studies, CUSAT  Member

Prof. Asha K.R., Assoc. Prof. & HoD, ME, Teaching faculty Member

Prof. Divya Mohan,  Asst. Prof., CSE, Teaching faculty Member

Dr. Neenu Joseph, Assoc. Prof. & HoD,  ECE,  Teaching faculty Member

Prof. Jerome, Professor, ASH,Teaching faculty Member

Ms. Jency Shaju, Office Assistant, Non-teaching Member

Student Representative

Useful Documents/Notices:

1. SH Act

2. Handbook on Sexual Harassment