UGC Is Listening: New Regulations For Student Grievance Redressal Soon To Be Put Up For Public Feedback

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has reportedly revamped its grievance regulations and will soon be putting up the new version for public feedback. The regulations will include revised norms for the appointment of an ombudsman for student's grievance redressal, a top UGC official was quoted by The Indian Express.

All higher education institutes are currently regulated by the UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulations 2012 which necessitates the appointment of an ombudsman by the institutions.

“We are suggesting a new process for resolving the grievances and how ombudsman will delve into at the third or fourth level and what will be the guidelines regarding the appointment of Ombudsman,” UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain said.

A 2012 regulation stipulates that the Ombudsman should be a retired professor who has served as a professor for at least ten years or judges not below the rank of a District Judge.

However, in violation of the regulations, Jawaharlal Nehru University has appointed its own rector as the Ombudsman and a professor, who is responsible for hearing grievances of only faculty members and not of students.