Delhi University Executive Council has approved the compulsory retirement of a Political Science professor following an ICC inquiry into a sexual harassment case, reaffirming the university’s zero-tolerance policy.
A faculty member from the Delhi University’s Department of Political Science has been compulsorily retired after the university’s Executive Council accepted the recommendations of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in a sexual harassment case.
The decision was taken during the Executive Council meeting held on July 30, following the submission of the ICC’s inquiry report. According to Delhi University officials, the complaint, which is over a year old, alleged that a student had been subjected to sexual harassment. The report was examined by the EC before disciplinary action was approved.
A university official confirmed that the ICC had recommended compulsory retirement as the appropriate penalty. The official added that the inquiry had been completed in accordance with the University’s procedures and that the recommendation was accepted by the Executive Council.
Reiterating the institution’s stance on campus safety, the official said,
The university has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment and will continue to implement measures aimed at ensuring a safe and secure environment for students and staff.
The official also noted that Internal Complaints Committees function under the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations and the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2015, which empowers them to enquire into complaints of sexual harassment and recommend action to the competent authority.
The university has not disclosed the identity of either the faculty member or the complainant. This is in keeping with the confidentiality provisions governing sexual harassment proceedings.
This case is one among the few instances in which a Delhi University faculty member has faced compulsory retirement following an ICC inquiry. In an earlier case, Bharati College faculty member Amit Kumar was compulsorily retired after the ICC found allegations of sexual misconduct against him to be credible.
As of publication, Delhi University had not issued a separate public press release regarding the Executive Council’s decision.
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Image Credit: University of Delhi
Aarushi Chaubey
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