Each university will appoint a Lokpal or ombudsman for hearing the appeals against the orders of the Institutional and University GRCs. (file)To address the complaints and issues of students, the Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Department has issued a government notification for setting up a Grievance Redressal Cells (GRC) at the college, university and institutional levels. Besides, there will be a Lokpal in each university to decide on the appeals against Institutional and University Grievance Redressal Cells.
Officials from the Higher and Technical Education Department, the colleges or recognised institutions and various departments of an university are expected to set up the GRCs to address the complaints or issues of the students. The issues not resolved at the department-level of universities and at the college level can be referred to the Institutional and University GRCs respectively. Each university will appoint a Lokpal or ombudsman for hearing the appeals against the orders of the Institutional and University GRCs.
Implementation will be key
Even as the state government has decided to set up the students grievance readdresal cells at college and university levels, the government must ensure its effective implementation to ensure that it does not become just another complaint box, like the ones found in many government departments. Also, the government’s decision to exempt appeals before the Lokpal in matters of revaluation or remarking of answersheets deprives a large number of students from seeking further remedy in this frequently faced issue.
“At present, there is no such grievance redressal mechanism at the college or university level. Now, students can raise various issues, including denial of admission on merit, irregularities in admission process, admission rejected without reason, not following reservation rules during admissions and non-payment of scholarships. Maharashtra is the first state in the country to have such a mechanism for the students,” Vinod Tawde, Minister for Higher and Technical Education, said while addressing the media.
“The universities and the colleges are expected to set up these mechanisms and Lokpal in the next two to three months. It should be effective from June when the new academic year starts,” Tawde added.
As per the norms, a Lokpal can be a retired district judge or retired vice-chancellor or registrar or principal. Senior professor, head of the departments, principals can head GRCs. While the GRCs are expected to resolve the complaints in 50 days, the Lokpal would resovle the grievance in 30 days. There are total 14 universities in the state to which these GRCs and Lokpal will be applicable, said another official.
The official said the colleges or recognised institutions and universities are expected to develop a dedicated online portal, where students can lodge their complaints.
