UGC Asks Universities To Appoint Ombudspersons; Defaulters' Names To Be Published Post Deadline

UGC has asked universities to appoint an ombudsperson under the student grievance redressal regulations 2023.

UGC asks Universities to appoint ombudspersons.

The UGC has asked universities to appoint ombudspersons before December 31 and warned that it will publicly name non-compliant universities post the deadline. It emphasized the University Grants Commission (Redressal of Grievances of Students) Regulations 2023, published in the official gazette on April 11, 2023, urging universities to appoint ombudspersons within 30 days of the regulatory notification. Compliance entails establishing a Students Grievance Redressal Committee (SGRC) by appointing these officials. Despite repeated reminders, the UGC noted some universities' failure to adhere to the directive, stating its serious concern over this issue.

“The universities are required to comply with the regulations by constituting the Students Grievance Redressal Committee (SGRC) and by appointing ombudspersons. However, it is understood that some universities are yet to comply with the regulations. The matter is being viewed seriously,” said UGC secretary Manish Joshi in a letter to the vice-chancellors of central, state, private, and deemed-to-be universities.

The secretary emphasized the need for universities to swiftly appoint the ombudsperson and fully implement other stipulations of the regulations by December 31. Requests were made to furnish a compliance report to the designated email IDs specified for each category of the university.

“Since enough opportunities have been provided to the universities, it has been decided to publish the names of defaulting universities on the website of UGC after December 31, 2023,” UGC letter added.

The commission clarified that if a university listed as defaulting wishes to contest its inclusion, it can forward its representation to the secretary. Additionally, the UGC highlighted that persistent non-compliance with the regulations will prompt the commission to initiate action against the concerned university.

About UGC

The University Grants Commission (UGC) came into existence on December 28, 1953 and became a statutory Organization of the Government of India by an Act of Parliament in 1956, for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of teaching, examination and research in university education.