UGC forms fact finding committee in Odisha student's self immolation case

Panel led by Raj Kumar Mittal will assess safety, grievance redressal and harassment policies at Balasore college after student's sexual harassment complaint went unheard

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has constituted a four-member fact-finding committee to look into the death of a female college student by self-immolation and suggest measures to prevent such incidents in future.

 

This comes after a 20-year-old student, who was pursuing BEd at Balasore’s Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, committed suicide after her complaints alleging sexual harassment by the head of department went unaddressed by college authorities and local police.

 

The police later arrested the principal of the college, who was subsequently sent to 14-day judicial custody by a local court.

 

According to an office order dated 15 July, the committee led by UGC Member Raj Kumar Mittal will examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and assess compliance with the stipulated regulatory provisions.

 

The team has been asked to submit a detailed report with findings and recommendations to the UGC within seven days of the issuance of the office order, that is, by 22 July.

 

The fact-finding team also includes UGC Joint Secretary Ashima Mangla, Gujarat University Vice-Chancellor Neerja Gupta, and Sushma Yadav, former commission member at the UGC.

 

The committee has also been tasked with examining the availability and effectiveness of institutional policies, grievance redressal mechanisms and anti-harassment measures adopted by the college in this case.

 

The terms of reference for the team include on-site assessment to verify the actual measures adopted by the institution for ensuring the safety of female students and the implementation of well-being policies.

 

The team will also engage with stakeholders, including students, faculty, administrators and support staff, to assess institutional culture, student experience and the challenges faced by them.