Introduction
Internal+Complaints+Committee+Report+2014-2020+Central+University+of+Kashmir: The establishment of a safe, respectful and inclusive campus is a legal and institutional obligation of all higher educational institutions in India. In the wake of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act), the universities beefed-up its system of addressing and preventing complaints of sexual harassment. This responsibility is fulfilled at Central University of Kashmir (CUK) by an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).
Internal+Complaints+Committee+Report+2014-2020+Central+University+of+Kashmir states that the university has complied with the legal requirements of sexual harassment, responded to complaints received, sensitized towards gender issues and upheld the zero tolerance policy towards sexual harassment. This guide provides an overview of the key findings of this report, the legal context, the complaint process, awareness raising and why this report remains relevant in 2026.
The students learned about the Legal Framework in terms of the POSH Act 2013 and UGC Regulations 2015.
It is important to understand Internal+Complaints+Committee+Report+2014-2020+Central+University+of+Kashmir first by understanding the legal framework of the Internal Complaints Committee in the higher education institutions of India.
The POSH Act, 2013
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) mandates all workplaces including colleges and universities to put in place mechanisms to prevent and redress sexual harassment cases.
The institutions are required to:
- Set up an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).
- Ensure there is a complaints process that is safe and accessible.
- Carry out fair, objective and time-limited investigations.
- Keep all aspects of the complaint process confidential.
- Provide annual compliance reports.
UGC Regulations, 2015
The University Grants Commission (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2015 further strengthened the above by being compulsory for every HEI to have an ICC.
In respect to the UGC Regulations:
- A female student or employee can file a written grievance with the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs within 3 months of the incident.The aggrieved woman employee or student may file a written grievance with the Vice President for Student Affairs within 3 months of the incident.
- Central Universities (including institutions sponsored by the Government of India) are obligated, by law, to adhere to these provisions.
The POSH Act along with UGC Regulations offer a legal framework for the functioning of IC at Central University of Kashmir.
The Central University of Kashmir, located in Baramulla, has established an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) under its jurisdiction.T
The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) at the Central University of Kashmir was established in the year 2014 to attend to complaints of sexual harassment in respect of women employees and female students of the University.
Primary Responsibilities of the ICC
The committee is responsible for:
- Being the recipient of complaints over sexual harassment.
- Running independent and time-limited investigations.
- Depositing suggestions to competent university authority.
- Confidentiality in investigations.
- Ensuring complainants’ freedom from victimisation.
- Promoting awareness and gender sensitisation activities, such as Gender Champions.
In addition to complaint resolution, the ICC has a strong influence on advancing gender equity, preventing harassment, and establishing a respectful campus community in every university.
As per the Internal Complaints Committee Report 2014-2020, the following are the key findings:
Internal+Complaints+Committee+Report+2014-2020+Central+University+of+Kashmir is very informative on the implementation of the POSH framework by the university for the first six years of its operation under ICC.
The volume of complaints received and the response of the institution to the complaint.
The ICC got only a handful of complaints during the reporting period and those were handled rather severely, Vice Chancellor Prof. Farooq Ahmad Shah said.
The university made its pledge to maintain a “absolutely zero tolerance” policy towards sexual harasment and assaults on female employees and students, publicly.
A low number of complaints may seem good but generally experts understand that a low rate of reporting does not mean that harassment does not exist. Awareness building efforts are particularly important as they can help encourage reporting, which may be hampered by social stigma, fear of retaliation, and lack of awareness.
APPs highlight the need to raise awareness and preventing these incidents.
There are a number of initiatives which are highlighted in the report to increase awareness throughout the campus.
Selected student representatives join in a programme called “Awareness for the Gender Champions” and assist other student representatives to spread the following messages:
- Gender equality
- Respectful behavior
- Available reporting mechanisms
- The role of the ICC
Gender Champions are encouraged to disseminate awareness on University campus and help students in understanding how to report complaints properly.
The university also arranges lectures by experts on:
- Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment
- Vishaka Guidelines (1997)
- POSH Act, 2013
- Rights and responsibilities in Higher Education institutions
Both students and staff become more aware of the law through these educational programs.
Institutional Commitment
Registrar Prof. M. Afzal Zargar highlighted the need of taking proactive and stringent steps to avoid harassment in the workplace.
The university has also promoted the breaking of silence of harassment by getting women employees and students to report victims of harassment and take action against the perpetrators in order to create a conducive atmosphere for the university.
The ICC Complaint Process explores how the ICC’s rules for complaints are applied.
The Internal Complaints Committee Report 2014-2020 indicates that the complaints are being addressed as per the procedure as mentioned in the UGC Regulations, 2015.
Filing a Complaint
Under the regulations:
- Who can complain: Any female student or woman employee.
- A written complaint should be made within 3 months of the incident in general.
The report also cites instances where the timeframe for complaints have been viewed as flexible. In one instance, an ICC was proceeding with its investigation, despite the filing of the complaint some three years after the incident, suggesting that in certain cases, delayed complaints may be considered subject to the circumstances and in accordance with the procedure.
Inquiry and Resolution
The ICC will investigate a complaint and report the results to the appropriate university official.
If academic problems do occur in conjunction with complaints, the university has made practical efforts to minimise disruption. For instance, in cases of non-compatibility between Research Scholar and his Supervisor, the University has appointed Co-Supervisors to ensure that the academics work is not interrupted unnecessarily.
The University’s complaints system is managed with:
- Utmost sensitivity
- Fairness
- Confidentiality
- Timely resolution
These are the principles on which the ICC is based.
The 2014-2020 Report and Annual Compliance were used to identify lessons learned.
The Internal Complaints Committee Report 2014 – 2020 Central University of Kashmir provides some general lessons for the universities in the country.
No one can be sure that there is no harassment when reporting levels are low.Low reporting does not mean there is no harassment.
A few complaints might be considered as a symptom of difficulties in reporting rather than a sign of widespread misconduct. There is still a need for awareness campaigns.
Whether it is a proactive or reactive approach, visible zero-tolerance policies matter.
Expressing university expectations and having students trust the reporting systems are aided by public statements from university leadership that communicate the zero tolerance policy.
3. Trust is established through timely investigations
Immediate and objective investigations build trust in institutional systems. If appropriate, complaints, even late, should be carefully considered.
Increased awareness among gender champions.Enhanced awareness of gender champions.
Student-led awareness campaigns help to make reporting easier, and help students be aware of support systems.
Continuous Training Is a Must 5.
Regular education programmes on the POSH Act, Vishaka Guidelines and Gender Sensitisation enhance the campus awareness.
Annual Compliance Reports
Internal Complaints Committee under the POSH Act, 2013 are required to submit annual reports of compliance of committee activities.
To ensure transparency, many universities, including such institutions as Kurukshetra University, make annual ICC reports and minutes available.
For Central University of Kashmir, the years 2014-2020 is the basic phase of the ICC development, which involves in legal compliance, complaint management and sensitization of the campus.
Because of the Report, what you do is will make a difference in 2026.
The report is for 2014–2020 but it has significance for 2026.
For Students
Students are requested to be aware of the presence of an Internal Complaints Committee and Gender Champions established by the University to promote awareness and guide students in the process of complaints.
For Women Employees
The university reaffirms its commitment to providing a safe and respectful environment and to the university’s zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual harassment.
For Parents
The University continues to focus on student welfare and accountability through public awareness programmes, institutional policies and leadership statements.
This course is designed for policymakers and higher education institutions.
The report offers an illustration of how a Central University have applied the provisions of the POSH Act and the UGC Regulations in the years since they came into force.
Please include the following information when filing a complaint:
In terms of the applicable framework:
- Eligible complainants: Female students and women employees.
- Complaint Format: Written complaint to ICC.
- The usual period of time: Within 3 months of the occurrence, in accordance with applicable law.
- Confidentiality: ICC must keep confidentiality.
- Protection: Complainants are safeguarded from victimisation during the inquiry process.
The University has always promoted reporting and has taken on the principle that an appropriate response should be made to the offender and thus the University will help to keep everyone safe.
Conclusion
Internal+Complaints+Committee+Report+2014-2020+Central+University+of+Kashmir illustrates how the University has been working towards the implementation of POSH Act 2013 and UGC Regulations 2015 in a crucial phase of the institutional growth. The university has been working on the complaints received through the Internal Complaints Committee since its establishment in 2014 which provides structured procedures for complaints and handles them in a confidential manner, educates students about sexual harassment awareness through Gender Champion programmes, conducts expert lectures on the POSH Act and Vishaka Guidelines and reinforces a publicly stated zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment.
The committee’s work is not limited to the process of complaint resolution, it involves a gender equality promotion, awareness and prevention, as mentioned by ICC Chairperson Prof. Sandhya Tiwari. Compliance with the law is the basis for ICC’s work; maintaining a respectful and safe school environment is a continuous effort. There are ongoing lessons for students, staff, university administrators, and higher education policymakers that can be learned from the experiences documented between 2014 and 2020 to help create safer higher education institutions in 2026 and beyond.
FAQ
What is the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)?
The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) at the Central University of Kashmir was established in the year 2014 to attend to complaints of sexual harassment in respect of women employees and female students of the University.
Who can file a complaint?
Under the regulations:
- Any female student or woman employee can complain.
- A written complaint should be made within 3 months of the incident in general.
What are the primary responsibilities of the ICC?
The committee is responsible for:
- Being the recipient of complaints over sexual harassment.
- Running independent and time-limited investigations.
- Depositing suggestions to competent university authority.
- Confidentiality in investigations.
- Ensuring complainants’ freedom from victimisation.
- Promoting awareness and gender sensitisation activities, such as Gender Champions.
What awareness activities are mentioned in the report?
The report highlights Gender Champions programmes, lectures by experts on the POSH Act, Vishaka Guidelines, Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment, and rights and responsibilities in Higher Education institutions.
Why is the 2014–2020 report still relevant in 2026?
The report is for 2014–2020 but it has significance for 2026 because it offers an illustration of how a Central University have applied the provisions of the POSH Act and the UGC Regulations in the years since they came into force.