PUCASH validity under lens, item withdrawn from agenda

Amarjot Kaur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 8

Even before the meeting of Panjab University’s (PU) Syndicate could begin today, the members of varsity’s governing body received a note announcing the withdrawal of an issue pertaining to the continuity of the ‘existing’ PUCASH (Panjab University Committee Against Sexual Harassment). Hanging fire since July 31, 2019, the extension of the committee, which is mandatory for every higher education institute as per UGC’s 2015 regulations for ensuring women safety, has been in doldrums.

On Syndicate’s ratification agenda, the continuity of the ‘existing PUCASH’ traces its roots to the proceedings of the 2017 Senate meeting where it was resolved that the 11-member committee be functional for a two-year term, from October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2019. A total of six Syndics recorded their dissent on the resolution passed by the then Syndicate members.

Fast forward to 2019, a notice dated November 13, 2019, sent the university’s teaching and non-teaching community into a tizzy. Issued by Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Raj Kumar, in anticipation of the Syndicate’s approval, the notice listed two new names as members of PUCASH in place of those who had either left the PU or retired. Allegedly, the VC had handpicked new members, Prof Yojana Rawat of USOL and Inder Mohan (Prof Kumar’s Officer on Special Duty), in place of Prof Sanjay Chaturvedi and Surinder Sharma. The notice read: “The VC, in anticipation of the approval of the Syndicate, has allowed that the PUCASH committee will continue to work till further orders as the new PUCASH committee is required to be approved from the Syndicate and the process is lengthy one and time consuming.”

A former Syndic outlined that the November-dated notice was issued two months after the 2017 PUCASH’s term ended. “That’s plain lackadaisical. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act says that the maximum term of such a committee can be three years and the new members should be appointed before the term of the existing committee ends. However, PU has no policy on this. The issue of PUCASH should have been brought for consideration, not ratification. The two new replacements have been made on pick-and-choose basis by the VC. It’s been four months and it never occurred to the VC that PUCASH members be brought to the Syndicate,” a former Syndic asked.

Another source said: “The last set of PUCASH members was handpicked too and their bio-data was not attached with the agenda; the objections were raised during the Senate, but to no avail. Ideally, the present PUCASH holds no significance and it technically doesn’t exist post September, 2019 because it was not brought to the Syndicate.”

UGC steps for women safety

• Constitute an Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) and a special cell in respective institutions to deal with the issue of gender-based violence and to conduct gender sensitisation programmes.
• It may be ensured that the ICC constituted is working as per the UGC (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2015.
• Make sure that widest possible dissemination of provisions of law pertaining to sexual harassment of women at workplace should be done.
• Provide healthy and secure atmosphere for all women at all places and facilities on the campus.
• Facilitate registration of grievances related to women and sexual harassment on the UGC Student Grievance Redressal Portal.
• Inform all about toll-free number (1800-111-656) for registration of grievances.