Swift Group of Colleges, Rajpura, maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual harassment within its premises. To uphold this commitment, an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) has been established at the college. This committee's formation aligns with the mandates of Section 4 of The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, and Sub-regulation (1) of Regulation 4 of the UGC (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2015.

Objectives of the Internal Complaints Committee

The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) is established with the following core objectives, guided by a commitment to fostering a safe and equitable environment:

• Legal Compliance: To adhere fully to the stipulations of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, and the UGC (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2015.
• Policy Development: To formulate and implement a comprehensive institutional policy specifically addressing and preventing sexual harassment of women within the workplace.
• Mechanism for Redressal: To establish and maintain a robust, permanent mechanism for the prevention, prohibition, and effective redressal of sexual harassment cases, alongside other forms of gender-based violence, within the institution.
• Policy Implementation Assurance: To ensure the rigorous and thorough implementation of the aforementioned policy through clearly defined reporting protocols and systematic follow-up procedures for all complaints.
• Commitment to Non-Discrimination: To uphold the institution's unwavering commitment to providing an environment entirely free from gender-based discrimination.
• Environment of Safety: To cultivate a secure physical and social environment that actively deters any acts of sexual harassment.
• Awareness and Sensitization: To foster a social and psychological environment conducive to raising comprehensive awareness regarding the various manifestations of sexual harassment.
• Complaint Resolution: To conduct impartial inquiries into reported complaints of sexual harassment and to provide appropriate and timely redressal for such grievances.
• Protective Environment: To create and sustain an institutional environment that is inherently protective for women against sexual harassment in the workplace.
• Gender Sensitization Initiatives: To initiate and promote diverse programs aimed at achieving gender sensitization, fostering gender equality, and upholding the dignity of women.
• Police Liaison Support: To offer necessary assistance to employees or students who opt to file a complaint with law enforcement authorities.
• Dispute Resolution and Conciliation: To provide a structured mechanism for dispute resolution and dialogue, enabling the proactive anticipation and addressal of issues through just and fair conciliation, without compromising the complainant's rights, thereby minimizing the reliance on solely punitive approaches that may lead to further discord, alienation, or violence.

Defining Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is characterized as unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that either occurs persistently or has the effect of demeaning, humiliating, or creating a hostile and intimidating environment. It can also involve actions calculated to induce submission through actual or threatened adverse consequences. This unwelcome behavior, whether direct or implied, encompasses, but is not limited to, the following:

• Unwelcome physical, verbal, or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature.
• Demands or requests for sexual favors.
• Making sexually colored remarks.
• Physical contact and advances.
• Showing pornography.
• Implied or explicit promises of preferential treatment (quid pro quo) for sexual favours.
• Implied or explicit threats of detrimental treatment in the conduct of work.
• Implied or explicit threats regarding the present or future status of the person concerned.
• Creating an intimidating, offensive, or hostile learning environment.
• Humiliating treatment likely to affect the health, safety, dignity, or physical integrity of the person concerned.

Complaint Filing Procedures for Sexual Harassment

An aggrieved student or woman employee who wishes to report an incident of sexual harassment in the workplace may do so by submitting a formal complaint to the Internal Committee. The following procedures are to be observed:

• Submission Method and Timeframe: Complaints must be made in writing and submitted to the Internal Committee within a period of three months from the date of the incident. In instances involving a series of incidents, the three-month period will commence from the date of the last occurrence.
• College Email Submission: Complaints can be submitted via email to the dedicated ICC email address: icc@swiftgroup.edu.in.
• Alternative Email Submission: For general inquiries or if unable to access the ICC email, complaints may also be sent to: info@swiftgroup.edu.in.
• Assistance with Complaint Filing: Should an aggrieved student or employee find themselves unable to prepare a written complaint, they are encouraged to contact any member of the Internal Committee for assistance in formally lodging their complaint.
• Emergency Contact: For urgent situations, an aggrieved student or employee may directly contact Dr. [Name], ICC Chairperson at the college administration office.
• Confidentiality Assurance: All complaints will be treated with strict confidentiality to protect the privacy and dignity of the complainant.