NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued notices on Tuesday to 46 state universities, six private universities, and 11 deemed universities for not appointing ombudspersons, as required by the UGC (Redressal of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2023. The commission reiterated that these universities must appoint ombudspersons in accordance with the regulations.Among the state universities that have not yet made the required appointments are Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU), National Law School of India University (NLSIU), International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Bhubaneswar, Calcutta University, and Mahatma Gandhi University.Deemed universities on the defaulters’ list include the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), National Institutes of Technical Teachers Training & Research (NITTTRs), National Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, and Punjab Engineering College.Private universities labeled as defaulters this time include Amity University, Sikkim International University, and Jodhpur National University.In December 2023 the UGC had instructed universities to make these appointments by year-end and warned that the names of defaulting universities would be published after the deadline. The UGC regulations, notified in April, required higher education institutions to complete the appointments within a month.The guidelines mandate that all higher education institutions form a student grievance redressal committee and appoint an ombudsperson to address complaints regarding admissions, fees, exams, scholarships, harassment, and other issues. The ombudsperson can be a retired vice-chancellor or a retired professor (who has served as dean or head of a department) with at least 10 years’ experience as a professor or a former district judge. The appointed ombudsperson will serve for three years and receive a sitting fee.
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