Ombudspersons yet to be appointed by 23 universities in Karnataka

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University Grants Commission office in New Delhi | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

Despite several repeated reminders and follow-up, the Karnataka government has failed to implement the University Grants Commission (Redressal of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2023, and 23 universities are yet to appoint an ombudsperson.

The UGC has released a list of defaulting 20 State universities and three private universities that have not appointed ombudsperson, as prescribed in the University Grants Commission (Redressal of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2023.

It has also written to Chief Secretaries of the States informing them about the defaulter universities.

To ensure equitable access to quality mental health services at the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with special emphasis on creating safeguards against academic pressure, peer pressure, behavioural issues, career concerns, depression, and other issues of the students, the UGC introduced the University Grants Commission (Redressal of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2023.

The UGC notified the regulations on April 11, 2023. Universities were requested to appoint an ombudsperson within 30 days of the notification. This was followed by several reminders.

According to the regulations, each university shall appoint an ombudsperson for redressal of grievances of students of the university and colleges or institutions affiliated with the university. The ombudsperson shall be a retired vice-chancellor or a retired professor (who has worked as Dean or HOD), and has 10 years’ experience as a professor in State or Central universities or institutions of national importance, deemed-to-be-university, or a former district judge.

The ombudsperson shall be appointed for a period of three years, or until he attains the age of 70. The ombudsperson will hear appeals from an aggrieved student only after the student has availed all other remedies provided under these regulations, and shall make all efforts to resolve the grievances within a period of 30 days of receiving the appeal from the aggrieved student, according to the rules.

Student grievances to be addressed

Grievances related to admission, admission contrary to merit determined, refusal to admit in accordance, demand of money in excess, violation of any law in regard to reservation of seats, delay in payment of scholarships, grievances that are academic in nature like academic quality, internal assessment, grade dispute, grievance related to examination, internship and placements, discrimination or non-adherence of placement procedures, grievance related to stay at hostel, quality of food and hygiene, student conflicts, harassment by fellow students or faculty or staff, bullying, grievances of alleged discrimination against SC/ST/OBC, minorities and persons with disabilities should be addressed and resolved by the ombudsperson.

68 universities in Karnataka

There are 41 State universities and 27 private universities in Karnataka. ln the previous communication of UGC on December 5, 2023, the universities were requested to appoint an ombudsperson by December 31, 2023. However, in Karnataka, only 20 State universities and 24 private universities have appointed an Ombudsperson.

S. Niranjana, Vice-Chairperson of Karnataka State Higher Education Council, told The Hindu, “Most of the universities have completed the process of appointing the ombudsperson. We have already given instructions to all the universities to appoint ombudsperson compulsorily, and we will send a reminder again.”