Mandatory Cells

1. Anti-Ragging Cell

Ragging is a punishable Offence. The Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), following a directive by the Supreme Court, appointed a seven-member panel headed by former CBI director Dr. R. K. Raghavan to recommend anti-ragging measures. The Raghavan Committee report submitted to the court in May 2007, includes a proposal to include ragging as a special section under the Indian Penal Code. The Supreme Court of India interim order (based on the recommendations) dated 16 May 2007 makes it obligatory for academic institutions to file official First Information Reports with the police in any instance of a complaint of ragging. This would ensure that all cases would be formally investigated under the criminal justice system, and not by the academic institutions' own ad-hoc bodies.

 As per the amendments made by UGC to its 2009 UGC Regulations regarding Ragging in Campuses,

1. It is no longer required to get the verification of the affidavit done by an oath commissioner.
2. The definition of ragging is updated to read: "Any act of physical or mental abuse (including bullying and exclusion) targeted at another student (fresher or otherwise) on the ground of colour, race, religion, caste, ethnicity, gender (including transgender), sexual orientation, appearance, nationality, regional origins, linguistic identity, place of birth, place of residence or economic background.

Objective

Sree Sankara College Anti-Ragging Cell (SSARC) is a statutory body constituted to upkeep the safety and educational ambience on the campus and off the campus for its student community. The committee functions with the core objectives of upholding and uplifting the mission of the college and in doing so, enhances the quality of life at the campus by ensuring utmost safety to the student community. The members of the committee shall carry out functions that are relevant within the scope of the SSARC policy by continuously contributing, monitoring, and enforcing the guidelines drawn by the UGC, the Government of Kerala and Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam. The SSARC Policy touches upon the functionality, procedure, principles, scope, ways, implementation and means of upholding the objectives set by the cell, for the college. This policy document will serve as a guide to the SSARC members as well as to its stakeholders, in their mission to maintain the campus Ragging free.

Functions

• To organize awareness programmes on Ragging, its definitions and limits, the psychological and social implications, pertaining law and regulations, etc.
• To ensure the submission of mandatory anti-ragging affidavits
• To address related complaints from students

Composition

The composition of Sree Sankara Anti-Ragging Cell is given below:

CONTACT

In case of complaints, queries, suggestions, students can adopt any of the following measures

1. Personally contact any of the menbers listed above
2. Submit in writing to any of the members listed above
3. Call at phone numbers given above
4. Email at antiraggingcell@ssc.edu.in

UGC Regulations on Anti-Ragging

Anti-Ragging Policy of Sree Sankara College

Minutes

08.01.2021

04.10.2021

Reports

2020-21

2. Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)

As part of its zero-tolerance policy against sexual harassment, Sree Sankara College, Kalady has constituted an Internal Complaints Committee in July 2023, by integrating the Anti-Sexual Harassment cell that has been functioning in the college. ICC is constituted under UGC (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of sexual harassment of women employees and students in higher education institutions) Regulations 2015, and applies to all higher educational institutions in India. According to this regulation, sexual harassment means:

1. An unwanted conduct with sexual undertones if it occurs or which is persistent and which demeans, humiliates or creates a hostile and intimidating environment or is calculated to induce submission by actual or threatened adverse consequences and includes any one or more or all of the following unwelcome acts or behaviour (whether directly or by implication), namely;
   1. Any unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature
   2. Demand or request for sexual favours
   3. Making sexually coloured remarks
   4. Physical contact or advances
   5. Showing pornography
2. Any one or more than one or all of the following circumstances, if it occurs or is present in relation or connected with any behaviour that has explicit or implicit sexual undertones:
   1. Implied or explicit promise of preferential treatment as quid pro quo for sexual favours
   2. Implied or explicit threat of detrimental treatment in the conduct of work
   3. Implied or explicit threat about the present or future status of the person concerned
   4. Creating an intimidating offensive or hostile learning environment
   5. Humiliating treatment likely to affect the health, safety, dignity or physical integrity of the person concerned

The term of office of the members of ICC shall be three years. The list of office bearers are given below:

Objective

The objective of the Internal Complaints Committee of the college is to create a safe, secure and supportive environment for women staff and students of the college, conducive to peaceful and effective teaching and learning.

Functions

• Organizing awareness programmes on Gender sensitization, pertaining legal aspects, etc.
• Address complaints of sexual harassment from staff and students and take necessary action.

Composition

The composition is given in the table below.

CONTACT:

In case of complaints, queries, suggestions, students can adopt any of the following measures

1. Personally contact any of the members listed above
2. Submit in writing to any of the members listed above
3. Call at phone numbers given above
4. Email at icc@ssc.edu.in

Reports

2018-19

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

3. Students' Grievance Redressal Cell

Objective:

To address and redress students’ grievances of various nature, especially those related with internal assessments, Sree Sankara College has constituted a students’ Grievance Redressal Cell with the following members.

Functions:

1. To address, document and redress complaints from students
2. To forward the complaint to suitable higher authority, if needed

The Mechanism of Grievance Redressal:

The student can approach the class tutor and submit the grievance in writing, and in case the issue is beyond the capacity of the tutor, the tutor may forward it to the Head of the department. If it is not settled there, the Head of the department can forward it to the Principal. The Principal may redress it in his/her powers or forward to the counsellor/Management/University, as the case maybe.

Composition:

The composition is given in the table below.

CONTACT:

In case of complaints, queries, suggestions, students can adopt any of the following measures

1. Personally contact the members
2. Submit in writing
3. Call at phone numbers given above
4. Email at grievance@ssc.edu.in