The Equal Opportunity Cell of Krishnaguru Adhyatmik Visvavidyalaya, Nasatra, Barpeta, Assam:

After the implementation of the National Policy on Education – 2020, the sector of Higher Education of the country has become bound to emphasize on Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability parameters. The one of the prime objectives of the Sector of Higher Education of the country has become to encourage all categories of students enter into the sector so that the Gross Enrolment Ratio increases to the maximum level. For this the NEP has emphasized on the equity parameter, i.e. fairness and justice to all. All categories of students are to get equal opportunities and treatment. For this the accountability parameter is very important.

The constituent of Higher Educational Institution, i.e. the authority or person or group of persons or sections of the institutional community belonging to the higher educational institutions are to sincerely look after the parameters viz. – discrimination, equity, harassment, ragging, unfavourable treatment, victimisation etc. For becoming free from all such socio-psychological menace, higher educational institutions are to take measures with the help of Equal Opportunity Cell.

The Objectives of the Equal Opportunity Cell of KAV:

The Objectives of the Equal Opportunity Cell of Krishnaguru Adhyatmik Visvavidyalaya, Nasatra, Barpeta, Assam, PIN: 781307 are as specified below:  

• To check all types of discriminations;
• To guarantee justice for all students in respect of the entitlement and opportunity for enjoyment of all legitimate rights;
• To check unwanted conduct which is persistent and demeans, humiliates or creates a hostile and intimidating environment or is calculated to induce submission by actual or threatened adverse consequences;
• To check all types of acts as defined under the University Grants Commission Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Education Institutions, 2009;
• To check unfavourable treatment, i.e. any adverse changes in the working environment, denial of training and denial of opportunities for advancement, unfavourable probationary reports, vexatious grievances and exclusion by peers; and
• To check the process of victimization, i.e. any unfavourable treatment of a student on the basis of caste, creed, religion, language, ethnicity, gender and disability parameter.

Structure and Composition of the Equal Opportunity Cell of KAV:

The committee typically comprises a Professor as Anti-Discrimination Officer; few numbers of Professors/Senior Faculty Members of the Institution as Members.

Functions of the Anti-Discrimination Officer:

The functions and roles of the Anti-Discrimination Officer and the Cell are as the following:

• Prohibit any conduct by any person or group of persons in the institutions, whether by words spoken or written or by any act which has the effect of ragging on students.
• Prescribe the procedures and mechanism to deal with and decide any complaint of discrimination, made or submitted by any student or group of students and it shall be obligatory on the part of the institutions to decide such complaints within a maximum period of sixty days from the date of receipt or submission of such complaints.
• Take all necessary steps to educate the educational fraternity and public and raise public awareness on the importance of equality and overcoming any form of caste based discrimination and harassment against students belonging to the marginalized sections, including SC/ST students of the society in the institutions.
• Ensure the strict implementation of all constitutional provisions and protective measures in respect of students belonging to SC/ST categories.
• Upload on the Website all measures for elimination of discrimination and punishments for breaching them and the higher educational institution shall also upload relevant public awareness material for preventions of discrimination against and harassment of any section of the student.

Take Decision on Punishment:

The activities of the Equal Opportunity Cell of KAV have a significant impact on the university environment.  By following the procedures the Cell decides promptly the actions. The Cell considers the undermentioned specifications for punishment:

1. Whoever commits any act of discrimination or harassment, as specified in the UGC Regulations, against any student or section of students in the Institutions shall be dealt with through the following procedure, namely:

1. On receipt of a written complaint, the Anti-Discrimination Officer shall initiate follow-up action including preliminary fact finding inquiry, if he/she considers necessary.
2. On the recommendation of the Anti-Discrimination Officer, the institutions shall take appropriate follow-up action.
3. The competent authority of the institutions upon receipt of the inquiry report shall refer the same to the Anti-Discrimination Officer in the case of students for taking appropriate action in accordance with the provisions of the Statutes or Ordinances or Regulations of the institution or the UGC Regulations on Ragging and any other Regulations in force; or
4. In case of teachers and non-teaching staff, the competent authority of the institution/institutions upon receipt of the inquiry report shall take appropriate action in accordance with the provision of the Statutes or Ordinances or Regulations of the institution or service rules as applicable to the institutions.

1. The punishment shall be commensurate with the nature of the discrimination or harassment.

Information about the Complaint:

1. A complaint about discrimination or harassment as defined in these regulations may be made in writing by a student or a parent of a student irrespective of whether the discrimination or harassment is alleged to have taken place within or outside the institution;
2. The complaint shall include sufficient details of the alleged act of discrimination or harassment;
3. The complaint shall be made to the Anti-Discrimination Officer;
4. The institution shall formulate and make public, by uploading the information on its Website, a transparent procedure for filing and dealing with such complaint.

Appeal by the Appellant:

Subject to the provisions made by the institution, any person aggrieved by an order made by the Anti-Discrimination Officer may prefer an appeal against such order within a period of ninety days from the date of the order to the Head of the Institution.

Provided that the Head of the Institution may entertain an appeal after the expiry of the said period of ninety days, if he/she is satisfied that the appellant had sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within the said period of ninety days.

To summarize, the Equal Opportunity Cell of Krishnaguru Adhyatmik Visvavidyalaya plays a crucial role in maintaining a positive and supportive educational atmosphere by systematically addressing and resolving the grievances of the students.

Specifications of the Equal Opportunity Cell of KAV: