- Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) mandates all affiliated colleges and institutes in Indore to establish women cells from the upcoming academic session.
- The move complies with University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations.
- The women cells will function as grievance redressal bodies for ensuring a safe environment for women in higher education.
In Indore Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya has directed all affiliated colleges, teaching departments, and institutes to set up women’s cells starting from the next academic session, in line with University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines. These cells will act as grievance redressal bodies, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for women within higher education institutions.
The university will closely monitor compliance with this directive to ensure effective implementation. Institutions must prominently display helpline numbers and contact details of women cell members. The displayed contact information should be easily accessible to female students and staff.
The directive aligns with UGC's Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions Regulations, 2015. These regulations require HEIs to set up an Internal Complaints Committee to address gender-based harassment complaints.
DAVV has issued the directive to principals and directors of all government and private colleges across several districts including Indore, Dhar, Jhabua, Khargone, Khandwa, Burhanpur, Alirajpur, and Barwani. The directive underscores the legal obligation for institutions to comply with UGC guidelines. Non-compliance will not be tolerated, and strict action will be taken against the defaulters.
In addition to setting up women cells, colleges are required to take several key actions, such as displaying the names and contact details of Internal Complaints Committee members on notice boards, installing billboards outlining the consequences of sexual harassment, and providing a toll-free helpline and emergency response numbers for women in distress.
They must also upload essential legal provisions and compliance details on their official websites, and conduct training programs to raise awareness about sexual harassment prevention among employees and students. DAVV has stressed that all affiliated colleges must report their compliance through the SAKSHAM and UAMP portals at the earliest.
