PU yet to display guidelines on sexual harassment

Bhartesh Singh Thakur 
Tribune News Service 
Chandigarh, October 19

Despite awareness generated by #MeToo campaign against sexual harassment, Panjab University (PU) is yet to act on the letter of the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) for displaying guidelines under the Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act in departments. 

The IQAC has written to all departments on October 11: “It is all the more important since almost half of the students, faculty and staff of Panjab University are women. Their male counterparts need to be publicly and prominently reminded of what is good a conduct and what is bad a conduct.” 

Prof Rajivlocan, Director, IQAC, said: “The PU already has a robust and transparent institutional mechanism to deal with complaints of sexual harassment. Matters of sexual harassment are also publicly discussed, especially in the media to ensure that the people of the PU are adequately sensitive and ensure proper conduct.” 

He said: “Yet, from the institutional point of view, it will be advisable to go by the Vishakha guidelines.” 

The Vishakha guidelines issued by the Supreme Court (SC) inform everyone, who is in-charge of a public place, where women work, to ensure that sexual harassment guidelines are prominently displayed. The Vishakha guidelines led to the Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act-2013.

Prof Rajivlochan has also been asking for displaying contact address, email Id, Whatsapp Id of the Panjab University Committee Against Sexual Harassment (PUCASH). 

The university has recently expelled Komal Singh, an assistant professor at the Department of Public Administration, as the Panjab University Committee Against Sexual Harassment (PUCASH) held him guilty of sexual harassment multiple times.

The PU Syndicate had also recommended a major penalty against a dental teacher, Dr Devinder Preet Singh, as he had molested women students at Dr HS Judge Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital. But, the Senate is the punishing authority in his case, which is yet to meet after he was held guilty by PUCASH and the Syndicate called for action against him. He is currently under suspension and getting half salary.

Currently, PUCASH is investigating two complaints of sexual harassment, one is against a PU coach and another is accusing a gardener.

“Recently, we have also recommended for displaying guidelines of the Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act. The office of Dean Students Welfare has asked the departments to put up the guidelines,” said Prof Manvinder Kaur, chairperson PUCASH.

Unwelcome acts 

• Sexual harassment includes any one or more of the following unwelcome acts or behaviour, whether directly or by implication. 
• Physical contact and advances; or
• A demand or request for sexual favours; or
• Making sexually coloured remarks; or
• Showing pornography; or
• Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature. 

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