DETAILS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT COMMITTEE SANT ISHAR SINGH PUBLIC SCHOOL CHHAHAR
SANT ISHAR SINGH PUBLIC SCHOOL CHHAHAR is running under the aegis of SANT ISHAR SINGH EDU. SOCIETY. It is co-education institute upto 10 + 2 level and affiliated to CBSE, New Delhi.
As on date strength of the school is 93 women employees and 829 girls (students). As per the
provisions of Sexual Harassment of women at workplace (Prevention, Prohibition
and Redressal) Act 2013, it is obligatory for the school to constitute a Sexual
Harassment Committee for female employees/girls (students) in the school
The present members of
the complaints committee to deal with the complaints of sexual harassment in
accordance with the guidelines laid down by the supreme court of India and the
Act mentioned at Para 1 above relating to sexual harassment of women workers at
work places and girls (students).
Composition
of the Committee is as under:-
(1) Chairperson - Mrs. GURMEET KAUR CHAIRMAN (9779731598)
(2) Member No 1 –S. MANJIT PAL SINGH PRINCIAPL, (9463123447)
(3) Member No 2 – Mr SUDHANSHU SHARMA VICE PRINCIPAL (9569157016)
(4) Member No 3 – Mrs JASWINDER KAUR PGT COUNSELLOR (9463066737)
(5) Member No 4 Mrs SAVITA CHAWLA PGT (9780230911)
Committee
Against Sexual Harassment
With regard to the Supreme Court Judgment in
1977 and guidelines issued in the Act passed by Parliament in 2013 in this
regard to provide for the effective enforcement of the basic human right of gender
equality and guarantee against sexual harassment and abuse, more particularly 2
against sexual harassment at work places, the University Grants Commission
(UGC) has issued circulars since 1998, to all the institutions, advising them
to establish a permanent cell and a committee and to develop guidelines to
combat sexual harassment, violence against women and ragging at the
universities and colleges. It has further advised the institutions to be
proactive by developing a conducive atmosphere on the campus, where the status
of woman is respected and they are treated with dignity.
The
objectives of the Committee are:-
(a) Prevent discrimination and sexual
harassment against women employees and girls students by promoting gender amity
among them.
(b) Make recommendations
to the Chairperson for changes/ elaborations in the Rules for students and
employees in the Prospectus and the Bye-Laws, to make them gender just and to
lay down procedures for the prohibition, resolution, settlement and prosecution
of acts of discrimination and sexual harassment against women, by the students
and the employees.
(c) Deal with cases of discrimination and
sexual harassment against women, in a time bound manner, aiming at ensuring
support services to the victimized and termination of the harassment.
(d) Recommend appropriate punitive action
against the guilty party to the Chairperson.
(e) Org orientation
program for women employees and girl students to sensitize to be proactive to
deal with such discrimination if any.
PROCEDURE
FOR FILING COMPLAINTS
Complaint may be oral, by email (sisps_chhahar@yahoo.com) or in
writing. If the complaint is oral, it will be converted into a written form by
the Sexual Harassment Committee member who received the complaint and
authenticated by the complainant under his / her signature as soon as possible.
Upon receipt of
complaint by any member of committee, the member should forward it to sisps_chhahar@yahoo.com. The
grieved one may also lodge her complaint directly on the given e-mail. Moreover,
the complaint can also be lodged telephonically to the mobile Nos of the
Chairperson and members of the committee which are
available on our website.
PROCEDURE
FOR FILING A COMPLAINT / GRIEVANCE WITHOUT REVEALING IDENTITY
If the complainant does not like to reveal her
name for any grievance, she can drop the grievance(s)
in the drop box placed outside the Counseling room. Here, it should be
noted that according to the Supreme Co guideline Sexual harassment can be
defined as unwelcome" sexually determined behaviour (whether directly or
by implication) as:-
(a) Physical contact
and advances.
(b) Demand or request
for sexual favours.
(c) Sexually coloured
remarks.
(d) Showing pornography.
(e) Other unwelcome
physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a 4 sexual nature (Vishaka judgment
by Supreme Court) and the Act passed by the Parliament in this regard.
The
following will also be treated as sexual harassment and are covered by the
committee:-
(a) Eve-teasing.
(b) Unsavory remarks.
(c) Jokes causing or likely to cause
awkwardness or embarrassment.
(d) Innuendos and
taunts.
(e) Gender based insults or sexist remarks.
(f) Unwelcome sexual overtone in any manner
such as over telephone (obnoxious telephone calls) and the like.
(g) Touching or
brushing against any part of the body and the like
(h) Displaying
pornographic or other offensive or derogatory pictures, cartoons, pamphlets or
sayings.
(i) Forcible physical
touch or molestation.
(j) Physical
confinement against one's will and any other act likely to violate one's
privacy.
PROCEDURE
FOR DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS
a) Filing of a
complaint:
If any associate
believes that she/he has been subjected to sexual harassment, such person may
file a complaint with any member of the committee. The committee member on
receiving a complaint will intimate the committee head. The committee head
would arrange for a meeting within a week of receipt of the complaint for
discussing the complaint raised. Complaints must be brought within 15 working
days of the incident of sexual harassment. Complaints brought after that time
period will not be pursued absent extraordinary circumstances.
The determination of whether the complaint was
timely or whether extraordinary circumstances exist to extend the complaint
period must be made in conjunction with the legal team.
Every attempt will be made to get the complainant to provide the
complaint in writing. The complaint shall include the circumstances giving rise
to the complaint, the dates of the alleged occurrences and names of witnesses,
if any. The complaint shall be signed by the complainant.
b) Process of Enquiry
- The
committee will ask the complainant to prepare a detailed statement of
incidents/ allegations. The statement of allegation will be shared with the
accused.
- The accused will be asked to prepare a
response to the statement of allegations and submit to the committee within the
given time.
- The
statement and other evidence obtained in the inquiry process will be treated as
strictly confidential. The committee will organize verbal hearings with the
complainant and the accused.
- The
committee will take against the witnesses testimonies of other relevant persons
and review the evidence if necessary. The committee should ensure that
sufficient care is taken to avoid any retaliation.
- During the enquiry process, the complainant
and the accused would be expected to refrain from any form of threat,
intimidation or influencing of witnesses.
- The
committee will arrive at a decision after carefully and fairly reviewing the
circumstances, evidences and relevant statements.
- The
committee will ensure confidentiality during the inquiry process and will
ensure that in the course of investigation a complaint:-
(a) Both parties will be given reasonable
opportunity to be heard along with witnesses and to produce any other relevant
documents.
(b) Upon completion of the investigation,
both parties will be informed of the results of the investigation.
- The
committee will be empowered to do all things necessary to ensure a fair hearing
of the complaint including all things necessary to ensure that victims or
witnesses are neither victimized nor discriminated against while dealing with a
complaint of sexual harassment. In this regard the committee will also have the
discretion to make appropriate interim recommendations in relation to an
accused person pending the outcome of a complaint) including suspension,
transfer, leave, change of work location etc.
- The
investigation into a complaint will be conducted in such a way as to maintain
confidentiality to the extent practicable under the circumstances.
- The
committee will investigate and prepare an enquiry report with recommendation
within 4 weeks of the complaint being filed.
- Once the investigation is completed, a
determination will be made regarding the validity of the harassment allegation.
If it is determined that harassment has occurred: prompt, remedial action will
be taken. The committee will share the investigation details and the findings
and agree on the applicable disciplinary action. This may include:-
(a) Restore any lost terms, conditions or
benefits of employment to the complainant.
(b) Committee will take appropriate
disciplinary action, including termination of the accused. All related
documents will be maintained in the associate’s folder, ensuring strict
confidentiality.
(c) This anti sexual harassment policy shall
not, however, be used to raise malicious complaints. If the complaint has been
made in bad faith, disciplinary action which may include termination will be
taken against the person raising the complaint.
DECISION
AND ACTION
Once
the investigation is completed, a determination will be made regarding the
validity of the harassment allegation. If it is determined that harassment has
occurred: prompt, remedial action will be taken. The committee members will
share the investigation details and the findings thereof with the appropriate
functional head and agree on the applicable disciplinary action. This may
include some of all of the following:-
(a)
In the case of academic/administrative/ technical/ non teaching staff/
management, disciplinary action could be in the form of one or more of the
following:-
(i)
Warning.
(ii)
Written apology.
(iii)
Adverse remarks in the Confidential Report
(iv)
Debarring from supervisory duties.
(v)
Denial of re-employment.
(vi)
Stopping of increments/promotion.
(vii)
Reverting, demotion.
(viii)
Transfer if applicable.
(ix)
Dismissal.
(x)
Any other relevant mechanism.
(b)
In case of students, disciplinary action could be in the form of:-
(i)
Warning.
(ii)
Written apology.
(iii)
Withholding results.
(iv)
Debarring from exams.
(v)
Debarring from holding posts
(vi)
Expulsion.
(vii)
Denial of admission.
(viii)
Any other relevant mechanism.
(NOTE: The reasons for the action have to be
provided in writing. Action will be taken against person(s) who try to
pressurize the complainant in any way).
CONCLUSION
The school will ensure that all women employees and girl students will feel safe and secure in the premises. The policy will be implemented and reviewed by the Committee from time to time as per the need. The school reserves the right to amend, abrogate, modify, and rescind/reinstate the entire policy or any part of it any time.