Under section 6 (xxxii) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act amended 2016, “it is the power of the University to establish a grievance redressal mechanism”. The mechanism shall protect the fundamental rights given under the 1973 constitution of Pakistan. The KP litigation policy also stresses on the reduction policy of unnecessary litigation workload in the courts so as to avoid the wastage of valuable time of the courts, government and organization.
Aim:
To facilitate the resolution of grievances in a fair and impartial manner by involving the relevant departments dealing with the substantive function connected with the grievance while maintaining necessary confidentiality.
Objective:
The objective of the Grievances Redressal Cell (GRC) is to develop a responsive and accountable approach among all the stakeholders so as to maintain a harmonious educational atmosphere in the University.
The key parameters of the Grievances Redressal Cell are:
- To uphold the dignity of the University by ensuring conflict-free environment and promote cordial student-student, Student-Teacher, Student-Employee, Employee-Employee relationship, and empowered them to take ownership of their institution and its policies.
- To encourage the Students, Employees and other Stakeholders to express their grievances/problems freely and frankly, without any fear of being victimized.
- To advise the students and employees of the University to respect the right and dignity of one another and show utmost restraint and patience whenever a conflict arises.
- To advise all the stakeholders to be affectionate towards each other and not to behave in a vindictive manner towards anyone for any reason.
Mechanism for Redressal of Grievances:
The students are the main stakeholders in the University, though the teachers, administrative officers, support staff and alumni are also the key pillars in the life of this institution. Taking this spirit into consideration the University has established the Grievances Redressal Cell (GRC) to promote a cordial educational environment on campus. The Grievances Redressal Cell may broadly include and consider the following complaints for consideration:
- Grievance Related to Academic Matters
- Grievance Related to Non-Academic Matters
- Grievance Related to Assessment
- Grievance Related to Victimization
- Grievance Related to Harassment
- Grievance Related to Conduct of Examinations
- Grievance Related to Service Matters
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP):
Any stakeholder who wants to initiate a grievance/complaint may in the first instance bring the issue to the notice of the head of the respective Teaching/Administrative Department, who will address the issue and try to resolve it within 15- working days if the grievance is normal and 7 working days for urgent /grave nature grievance of the receipt of the grievance.
If no response is received within the stipulated time from the respective department or the department concerned if unable to come-up with a resolution then the matter shall be forwarded to GRC either for assistance or dispose of the matter or the grievant is dissatisfied with response/resolution to his/her grievance, then the grievant may register his/her grievance to the University Grievances Redressal Cell.
Procedure to be observed for Grievances Redressal by Grievances Redressal Cell (GRC):
- Step-1: Student and Staff to register a written complaint with the convener of the GRC in person or through the official email address of the cell i.e. grc@uoch.edu.pk. The students should use their personal email address in registering complain and for written complain student identity card must be provided, whereas the staffs are required to use official UoCH email address or to provide a copy of his/her CNIC or CNIC No. their Department/Section, Address, Email, and contact number for future correspondence (The committee will be duty bound not to disclose the name(s) of the complainant). The complainant shall also clearly mention whether he/she wants to be heard in person for the perusal of the Grievance/Complaint.
(Anonymous letters/emails will not be taken into consideration). - Step-2: The GRC prima facie loot into the genuineness and maintainability of the complaint. If the complaint is maintainable, then GRC first job may be to look into the ways thereof to address and resolve the grievance through mediation without undergoing a formal inquiry.
- Step-3: If the matter requires a formal inquiry, then the Grievances Redressal Cell shall probe into the matter in order to find facts of the case within one month and suggest measures to the Vice Chancellor for its solution. The committee can co-opt other members depending on the nature of the case to reach a logical conclusion. The complainant(s) and the respondent(s) or the respondent-department(s) shall be given a reasonable opportunity to justify their stance during the probe.
- Step-4: The Vice Chancellor may approve the findings of the GRC and issue directives in matters which fall within his statutory/discretionary powers. Issues which do not fall within his Statutory/discretionary powers, the same may be referred to the relevant Statutory bodies along with comments of the Vice Chancellor for a final decision. The said decision would be final in the matter, appeal whereof can be made as per provisions of the Regulation of the University of Chitral.
Residual Provision:
- In case the matter is grave in nature and require a thorough probe then it may be referred for a procedural inquiry to the Vice-Chancellor by GRC.
- In case the matter is related to a statutory body it may directly be recommended to be dealt with accordingly without undergoing an inquiry into it.
University of Chitral Grievances Redressal Committee:
- Dr. Nizam Uddin, HoD Computer Science Convener
- Dr. Muhammad Sahib Khan, HoD Urdu Member
- Mr. Fahad Ali Khan, HoD Zoology Member
- Ms. Naila Hussain, HoD Sociology Member
- Dr. Yasir Arafat, Deputy Director QEC Member
- Mr. Mustafa Kamal, Assistant Registrar (Acad) Member
- Mr. Mir Tanzil Ur Rehman, Litigation Officer Secretary
Subordinate Committee at Department Level
- HoD, HoD nominated person or Assistant Professor (Chairman of the Committee)
- One Male/Female Lecturer (Members)
- Program Coordinator (Secretary/Member)
Terms of Reference of the Grievance Redressal Committee:
Functions of the Committee:
- To entertain grievances of the students, their parents and employees of the University of Chitral
- To provide proper opportunity to stakeholders to express their grievances freely and frankly without any fear of being victimized
- To ensure that there is no reprisal of any kind against any applicant, witness, or any other participant in the grievance redressal process by reason of such participation in the grievance process
- To protect the privacy and confidentiality of all parties during the investigation, consistent with and subject to the policy guidelines
- To obtain the facts through relevant sources in a fair and objective manner, to work out a resolution of the issues involved with the parties named in the grievance application
- To ensure speedy disposal of every grievance application within a maximum period of one month of the receipt of application