TV
Two Odisha universities, Khallikote University and Utkal University of Culture (UUC), have been flagged by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for not appointing ombudsmen to address student grievances. These include complaints related to admissions, ragging, discrimination, harassment and other institutional issues.
The absence of an ombudsperson at these institutions places them in direct violation of the UGC (Redressal of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2023. These rules mandate that every public or private university must designate an ombudsperson to ensure fair handling of student complaints within the university and its affiliated colleges.
Under the regulations, if students are not satisfied with the university's internal grievance redressal committee, they are entitled to appeal to the ombudsperson. This official must be a retired vice-chancellor, a retired professor with a minimum of ten years of experience, or a former district judge.
Grievances eligible for escalation to the ombudsperson include ragging, anomalies in admission processes, solicitation of bribes for admission, violations of reservation norms, scholarship-related delays, and examination or result-related concerns. Complaints of caste-based discrimination and harassment of any kind are also within its purview.
With Khallikote University and UUC now on the UGC's list of defaulters, the total number of such non-compliant universities in India stands at 29. The Commission had previously issued a public advisory urging these institutions to prioritise the appointment of ombudsmen to meet the required standards for grievance redressal.
According to sources, in the previous year, the UGC had served notices to 11 public universities across Odisha for non-compliance. These included BPUT at Rourkela, IIIT, Odisha University of Health Sciences, Odisha University of Technology and Research, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, and UUC – all based in Bhubaneswar. Others on the list were Shri Jagannath Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya in Puri, Rajendra University in Balangir, Kalahandi University, Khallikote University in Berhampur, and Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Science and Research in Sambalpur, as reported by TNIE.
While nine of these universities have since appointed ombudsmen, UUC and Khallikote University remain non-compliant despite repeated reminders from the Commission.
