Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)

National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Kolkata

In accordance with the mandate laid down under "The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013," the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Kolkata has duly constituted an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to address complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace and to ensure a safe, secure, and congenial environment for all employees and students.

Vision of the Internal Complaints Committee:

Zero Tolerance towards Sexual Harassment: To nurture a campus culture characterized by respect, dignity, and inclusion, with zero tolerance towards harassment or discrimination of any kind.
Empowerment of Women: To facilitate the empowerment of women employees and students through access to counseling, legal assistance, and professional development initiatives.
Awareness and Preventive Measures: To undertake awareness-building initiatives through training sessions, workshops, and sensitization programmes for the prevention of sexual harassment.

Objectives of the Internal Complaints Committee:

To Create a Safe and Supportive Environment: To foster an institutional environment where women employees and students feel secure and confident to raise grievances without apprehension.
To Promote Gender Equity: To ensure the promotion of gender equity and equality within the Institute by addressing systemic barriers and discriminatory practices.
To Ensure Fair and Transparent Redressal Mechanisms: To adopt transparent, unbiased, and confidential procedures in the handling of complaints and to uphold the principles of natural justice.

Functions of the Internal Complaints Committee:

The primary functions of the ICC are as follows:

To provide assistance to an employee or student who intends to lodge a complaint with law enforcement authorities.
To facilitate mechanisms for redressal and dialogue aimed at resolving disputes in a just, equitable, and non-adversarial manner, while upholding the rights of the complainant.
To ensure the confidentiality and protection of the complainant’s identity and to extend necessary interim reliefs such as leave, transfer, or relaxation of attendance, as deemed appropriate, during the pendency of the inquiry.
To prevent the victimization or discrimination of complainants and witnesses in the course of dealing with cases of sexual harassment.
To ensure that no retaliatory or adverse action is taken against any individual for participating in proceedings or for exercising their rights under the Act.
The Committee convenes meetings at least once every six months, or as and when required upon receipt of complaints.

Constitution of the Internal Complaints Committee:

With the approval of the competent authority, the Internal Complaints Committee has been constituted with the following members:

Sl No.	Designation	Name of the Members
1	Presiding Officer	Mrs. Devalina Sen, Administrative Officer
2	Faculty	1. Dr. Somasundaram, Assistant Professor 2. Dr. Utpal Mohan, Assistant Professor
3	Non-Teaching Staffs	1. Ms. Kirti Tiwari, JTA 2. Mr. Pawan Kumar Shukla, System Engineer
4	Nominated Students	1. Ms. Superna Banejee, 2nd year Ph.D. 2. Mr. Bireshwar Bhattacharya, 1st year Ph.D. 3. Ms. Moumita Das, Ist Year MS (Pharma)
5	Member from NGO or Associations committed to the cause of women or who have had experience in social work or have legal knowledge, nominated by the Executive Authority	Ms. Amrapali Bose, Professor, Heramba C

Scope of Sexual Harassment:

Instances constituting sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:

Implied or explicit promise of preferential treatment in employment.
Implied or explicit threat of detrimental treatment in employment.
Implied or explicit threat regarding present or future employment status.
Interference with work or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
Humiliating treatment likely to affect an employee’s health or safety.

The Institute is committed to upholding the dignity of women and fostering a gender-sensitive workplace that is free from any form of discrimination or harassment.

Terms of Reference:

The Committee shall accept complaints from:

Female employees regarding incidents of harassment or discrimination at the workplace.
Female students pertaining to harassment or discrimination within academic activities or settings.
Female residents concerning harassment, assault, or misconduct by employees.
Transgender persons who identify as women facing harassment, assault, discrimination, or misconduct.

(Complaints falling outside the above categories will not be dealt with by the ICC and will be forwarded to the appropriate authority.)

The Committee shall operate in strict compliance with applicable Government of India Acts, Rules, Office Memoranda, and Court Orders.
An Enquiry Committee may be constituted, if required, with the approval of the Director.
The ICC shall submit its recommendations confidentially to the Director for necessary action.
The Committee shall adhere to the guidelines issued in the Vishaka Judgment and other relevant frameworks.

Procedure for Lodging a Complaint:

Any employee or student who believes they are subjected to sexual harassment may contact any ICC member personally, telephonically, through a written communication, or via email.

Email ID for Complaints: ICC[@]niperkolkata.ac.in
(Complaints and complainant identities shall be maintained in strict confidence.)

Emergency Contact:
(Mobile number :8017754390)

Government Portals for Online Complaint Registration:

24x7 Helpline for Women:
Helpline Number: 7827170170
(For more information, visit NCW Women Helpline Portal)

Important References:

Handbook on Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace
Booklet: Sexual Harassment at Workplace – Meeting All Your Legal Needs
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013
UGC (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2015

Sl No	Designation	Name of the Members	Email ID
1	Registrar (In-Charge)-	Prof. Subramanian Natesan	snatesan@niperkolkata.ac.in
2	Chief Warden	Dr. Sugato Banerjee	banerjeesugato1@gmail.com
3	Warden (Boys)	Dr. Santanu Kaity	santanu.kaity@niperkolkata.ac.in
4	Assistant Professor	Dr. Pallab Datta	contactpallab@gmail.com
5	Finance and Accounts Officer	Shri Pabitra Santra	pabitrasantra@niperkolkata.ac.in
6	Guest House and Hostel Supervisor	Shri Deepan Mazumder	deepanmazumder@niperkolkata.ac.in
7	Warden (Girls)	Smt V Sai Vishali	secydir@niperkolkata.ac.in
8	Assistant Warden (Girls)	Ms. Kirti Tiwari	tiwarikriti324@gmail.com

What Constitutes Ragging

Ragging is a grave crime and a cognizable offence (offence for which the police can arrest the offender without warrant). This heinous practice has caused deaths and suicides of many bright students in the recent past in India, forcing the Supreme Court to take a serious view of the menace and recommend deterrent and justifiably harsh punishment to those found guilty of ragging. Hence, a ragging complaint against a student, if found valid after investigation, may be construed as a criminal case, and the Institute is bound to take strong action against the offending student. The Supreme Court has ruled that the punishment to be meted out has to be exemplary and harsh to act as a deterrent.

According to the Honourable Supreme Court of India, ragging means:

“Any disorderly conduct whether by words spoken or written or by an act which has the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness any other student, indulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in a fresher or a junior student, or asking the students to do any act or perform something which such student will not in the ordinary course and which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of a fresher or a junior student.”

Ragging constitutes any one or more of the following acts (the list is only illustrative)

1. Conduct by any student or students, whether by words spoken or written or by an act that has the effect of teasing, treating, or handling a fresher or any other student with rudeness.

2. Indulging in rowdy or indisciplined activities by any student or students which causes or are likely to cause annoyance, hardship or psychological or physical harm or to raise the fear or apprehension thereof in a fresher or any other student.

3. Asking the students to do or perform any act which such a student will not in the ordinary course do, and which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame or torment or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of such fresher or any other student.

4. Any act by a senior student that prevents, disrupts or disturbs the regular academic activity of any other student or fresher.

5. Exploiting the services of a fresher or any other student for completing the academic tasks assigned to an individual or a group of students.

6. Any act of financial extortion or forceful expenditure burden put on a fresher or any other student by other students.

7. Any act of physical abuse including all of its variants, viz., sexual abuse, homosexual assaults, stripping, and forcing obscene and lewd acts, gestures, causing bodily harm or any other danger to health or person.

8. Any act or abuse by spoken words, e-mails, posts, or public insults which would also include deriving perverted pleasure, vicarious or sadistic thrill, or showing off power, authority or superiority, or passively participating in the discomfiture to any fresher or any other student.

9. Any act that affects the mental health and self-confidence of a fresher or any other student with or without an intent to derive a sadistic pleasure or show off power, authority or superiority over any fresher.

Depending upon the nature and gravity of the offence as established by the Anti-Ragging Committee of the institution, the possible punishments for those found guilty of ragging at the institutional level shall be any one or any combination but not limited to the following:

1. Suspension from attending classes and academic privileges

2. Withholding/ withdrawing scholarship/ fellowship and other benefits

3. Debarring from appearing in any test/ examination or other evaluation Process

4. Withholding results

5. Debarring from any regional, national or international meet, tournament, youth festival, etc.

6. Suspension/ expulsion from the hostel

7. Cancellation of admission

8. Rustication from the institution for periods ranging from 1 to 4 semesters

9. Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution for a specified period

NATIONAL RAGGING PREVENTION PROGRAMME

National Anti-Ragging Helpline

24x7 Toll Free 1800-180-5522 helpline@antiragging.in | www.antiragging.in

UGC Monitoring Agency

Centre for Youth (C4Y)

antiragging@c4yindia.org | www.c4yindia.org

Contact Details of the Anti-Ragging Committee and Squad

Anti-Ragging Committee (ARC) | Anti-Ragging Squad (ARS)

RAGGING IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE AND THE CULPRITS WILL ATTRACT PUNITIVE ACTION AS MENTIONED IN THE UGC REGULATIONS (www.antiragging.in/assets/pdf/annexure/Annexure-I.pdf)

www.ugc.ac.in

Committees

NIPER Committee