Indore: NK Satsangi appointed as first DAVV Lokpal

Indore: Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) on Wednesday appointed retired judge Narendra Kumar Satsangi as its first Lokpal (ombudsman). He will be responsible for  redressal of students’ grievances pertaining to admission, delay in examinations, results, harassment etc.

Confirming the appointment, vice-chancellor Dr Narendra Dhakad said he has approved name of Satsangi as Lokpal of DAVV. The tenure of Satsangi, a resident of Mangalmurti Nagar, as Lokpal will be of three years.

Citing University Grants Commission (Student Grievance Redressal) Regulations 2012, the state government had recommended a panel of three retired judges, all residents of Indore, to DAVV for appointing one of them as Lokpal by July 1.

The panel included names of Vibhavari Joshi, Satsangi and Uday Singh Bahrawat. Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, which had announced plans to appoint Lokpal, (ombudsman) backtracked saying that it would first take advice from state government.

Joshi had opted out of the appointment process as she was nominated as a member in family court. This left only Satsangi and Bahrawat in race for Lokpal post.  But the university instead of appointing one of them as Lokpal sought advice of Department of Higher Education (DHE).

Dhakad said the DHE permitted the university to appoint one of the two members as Lokpal after which he made the appointment. As per University Grants Commission (Student Grievance Redressal) Regulations 2012, every university is required to appoint a Lokpal. As per Regulations 2012, the Lokpal should be a judge not below the rank of district judge or a retired professor who has at least 10 years of experience as a professor.

 Lokpal’s duty

Lokpal will be responsible for redressal of complaints received from students. First, grievance committee at the college will accept complaints from students. The committee will communicate its decision to the complainant within 10 days of receipt of the complaint. Any person aggrieved by the decision of the committee may within six days file appeal before Lokpal. The grievance redressal committee is yet to be formed.

Ambit of complaints

• Making admission contrary to merit determined in accordance with the declared admission policy of the institute.
• Irregularity in admission process adopted by institute.
• Refusing admission in accordance with the declared admission policy of institute.
• Non-publication of prospectus. Publication any information in the prospectus which is false or misleading and not based on facts.
• Withhold or refuse to return any documents deposited with it by a person for the purpose of seeking admission in.
• Demand of money in excess of what specified in the declared admission policy or approved by the competent authority to be charged by such institute.
• Breach of the policy for reservation in admission as may be applicable.
• Complaints of alleged discrimination of students.
• Non-payment or delay in payment of scholarship to any student.
• Delay in conduct of examination or declaration of results beyond that specified in the academic calendar.
• Non-transparent or unfair evaluation practices.
• Harassment and victimisation of students, including sexual harassment.