WHAT CONSTITUTES SEXUAL HARASSMENT?
According to the guidelines of the Supreme Court, sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexually determined behaviour such as:

  • Physical contact, gestures, or talking
  • Demand or request for sexual favours
  • Sexually oriented remarks
  • Showing pornography
  • Use of electronic media (phone, internet) for perpetrating offensive acts
  • Any other unwelcome physical, verbal, or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature.

AWARENESS TO PREVENT SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Be aware that

1. Women have the following fundamental rights under Constitution of India

  • Right to Gender equality
  • Sexually oriented remarks
  • Showing pornography
  • Use of electronic media (phone, internet) for perpetrating offensive acts
  • Any other unwelcome physical, verbal, or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature.

2. Article 51(A)e of the Constitution imposes on every citizen by way of fundamental duty the responsibility to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of the women.

3. Sexual harassment of individuals has been held as violation of her fundamental right by the Supreme Court.

4. Assault or use of criminal force to an individual or uttering any word or making any gesture intended to outrage their modesty is a cognizable offence under Section 354 with laid down punishment of imprisonment for 2 years or fine or both.

5. All of us have a collective responsibility to protect the rights of individuals and eradicate behaviour, which is unacceptable and discriminatory.

Be careful that you

  • Do not infringe on the fundamental rights of women.
  • Do not ever indulge in any unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature with any employee or student.
  • Do not show or attempt to show directly or by implication pornography to any employee or student.
  • Do not place any employees or students at disadvantageous position in connection with any work or lab experiments or discussions.
  • Do not demand work/ study/ discussion at late hours with one woman employee or student.
  • Male employees/ students should avoid entry into the premise of the ladies section of the hostel at late hours and vice versa.

IF YOU ARE BEING HARASSED, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO

  • Don’t feel a sense of shame. Tell the harasser very clearly that you find his/her behaviour offensive.
  • Don’t ignore the harassment in the hope that it will stop on its own. Come forward and complain.
  • Talk to somebody you trust about the harassment. It will not only give you strength but also help others in similar situations come forward and complain.
  • Keep a record of all incidents of sexual harassment in a notebook. If you feel the need to register a formal complaint later, this record will be helpful.

COMPLAINT AND ACTION

Procedure for lodging a complaint

  • The person concerned can personally talk / telephone/ write/ e-mail any member of the Women’s Cell.
  • Under special circumstances an individual, who may be a friend/ colleague/teacher/parent of the affected individual may make a written complaint on behalf of the complainant.
  • A written complaint to the Women’s Protection Cell may be addressed to the Convener of the Women’s Protection Cell.
  • If a written complaint is made to the Principal or any of the members of the Women’s Cell, the complaint shall be forwarded to the Convener of the Women’s Cell.
  • Any faculty, staff or student who comes to know about an incident of harassment, shall advise the affected person to approach a member of the cell or report to a member themselves. They are discouraged to discuss the issue among themselves or try to solve the problem by themselves.

The name of the complainant will ALWAYS be kept CONFIDENTIAL.

NOTE: A baseless complaint will adversely affect the credibility of the complainant.

NATURE OF PUNITIVE ACTION

An employee found guilty of sexual harassment shall be liable to one or more of the following punitive actions:

    • Give a written apology to the victim
    • Suitable censure/warning
    • Withholding of increments
    • Reduction to lower service, grade or post
    • Compulsory retirement
    • Removal from service, or
    • Dismissal from service

A student found guilty of sexual harassment shall be liable to one or more of the following
punitive actions:

  • Give a written apology to the victim
  • Suitable censure/warning
  • Withholding/withdrawing scholarship/fellowship and other benefits
  • Suspension/expulsion from the hostel
  • Rustication from the Institute up to a certain period or
  • Expulsion from the Institute

The cell can recommend any other punitive action other than ones listed above.

Women Protection Cell is being formed at the college level comprising the following faculty members

Women Protection Cell for Academic Year 2021-2022

S.NoNameDept. & DesignRoleMobile NoE-mail Id
1Dr. K. S. RAOPrincipalChairman8106304455principal@jits.ac.in
2Dr. M.SujathaCSE-Assoc. Prof.Co-ordinator9985842263dr.m.sujatha@jits.ac.in
3Mrs. G.SrilathaCSE-Asst. Prof.Member8328014812gajula.srilatha@jits.ac.in
4Mrs. D.PushpalathaECE-Asst. Prof.Member9949454626doosa.pushpalatha@jits.ac.in
5Mrs. L.SharadhaEEE-Asst. Prof.Member7036460856lion.sharadha@jits.ac.in
6Mrs. E.SwapnaH&S-Assoc. Prof.Member8897642299swapna.e@jits.ac.in
7Mrs. R.ChandanaME-Asst. Prof.Member9154232023ragunam.chandana@jits.ac.in
8Ms. P.PriyankaMBA-Asst. Prof.Member9676928332pata.priyanka@jits.ac.in
9Mrs. K.BhagyaCivil-Asst. Prof.Member9441440778kurra.bhagya@jits.ac.in

The Women’s Cell functions as a body that investigates and recommends action on all acts of sexual harassment against any woman.

TO WORK WITHOUT HARASSMENT IS EVERY INDIVIDUAL’S FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT

PREAMBLE

According to the Constitution of India, Right to Equality is a Fundamental Right that includes the right to equality before law, prohibition of discrimination and equality of opportunities in matters of public employment. Equality between men and women, right to work, to education and to public assistance in case of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement and provision of just and humane conditions for work and maternity relief, are important Directive Principles of State Policy. Following the 1997 Supreme Court judgment, it has been mandated that it shall be the duty of the Employer to prevent or deter the commission of acts of sexual harassment and to provide the procedures for the resolution, settlement or prosecution of acts of sexual harassment by taking all steps required, and to be proactive by developing a conducive atmosphere on the campus, where all individuals can work safely with dignity.

Complying with the directives of the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University(JNTU) Hyderabad, Women’s Protection Cell has been constituted at the college level with the following composition.

OBJECTIVES

  • To uphold the dignity of women at JITS
  • To facilitate a gender-sensitive and congenial working environment at JITS so that any employee (contractual, casual, temporary and permanent) or student is not subjected to gender- specific discrimination or sexual harassment.
  • To ensure that victims and witnesses are not discriminated against because of lodging complaints.
  • To take proactive measures to educate the JITS community about gender sensitivity.

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Sl. No.NameDept. & Design.RoleMobile NumberEmail Id
1Dr.A.ManjulaCSE -Assoc. Prof.Coordinator9704403030aakunuri.manjula@jits.ac.in
2Mrs. K. PrasannalathaH&S – English, Assoc. Prof.Member9949012167prasannalatha.k@jits.ac.in
3Mrs.K.BhagyaCivil-Asst.Prof.Member9441440778kurra.bhagya@jits.ac.in
4Mrs.D.KalpanaCSE – Asst.Prof.Member8500778845kalpana.devi@jits.ac.in
5Mrs. R. ChandanaMECH -Asst. Prof.Member9154232023ragunam.chandana@jits.ac.in
6Ms.P.HarshithaCSE-IV Year StudentMember9347924217poodiharshitha@gmail.com
7Ms.D.DeepthiECE-III Year StudentMember8522894130deepthidugyala@gmail.com
8Ms.O.PoojithaEEE-III Year StudentMember7731956611oggu.poojitha2002@gmail.com

Functions and Responsibilities :

In pursuance of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 and the Rules framed there under, the Institute hereby adopts the following procedure for determining complaints filed to the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) constituted under the Act. The procedure complies with the basic principles of natural justice and fair play and has to be adhered to in all complaints, though, in individual complaints, for reasons to be stated in writing, the ICC reserves the right to make exceptions to the procedure stated hereunder.

1.  Any aggrieved woman may make, in writing, a complaint of sexual harassment at work place to the ICC, within a period of three months from the date of incident and in case of a series of incidents, within a period of three months from the date of last incident. 6 copies of a written complaint should be submitted to the Committee or any of its members along with list of witnesses and supporting documents. Additional documents and list of witnesses can be submitted to ICC at a later stage during the proceeding. Provided that where such complaint cannot be made in writing, the Presiding Officer or any other member of the ICC shall render all reasonable assistance to the woman for making the complaint in writing. Provided further that the ICC for the reasons to be recorded in writing, can extend the time limit not exceeding three months, if it is satisfied that the circumstances were such which prevented the woman from filing a complaint within the period.
2. Any complaint received by the members should be immediately forwarded to the Presiding Officer, and this must be notified to other committee members at the earliest and not later than 3 days and a meeting should be called for discussing the matter.
3. The Committee shall discuss and decide on its jurisdiction to deal with the case or reject the complaint prima facie and recommend to the Institute that no action is required to be taken in the matter.
4. Notice shall be issued to the respondent within 7 working days of receipt of the complaint and 10 working days shall be given for submission of reply (along with the list of witnesses and documents.)
5. The Committee will provide assistance to the aggrieved woman, if she so chooses, to file a police complaint in relation to an offence under Indian Penal Code.
6. The Committee may, before initiating an inquiry, at the request of the aggrieved woman take steps to settle the matter between her and the respondent through conciliation. No monetary settlement shall be made as the basis of conciliation. Where a settlement has been arrived at, the ICC shall record the settlement so arrived and forward the same to the employer for necessary compliance.
7. The Committee shall provide the copies of the settlement as recorded under (7) to the aggrieved woman and the respondent. Where a settlement is arrived at, no further inquiry shall be conducted by the ICC.
8. If conciliation is found to be not feasible, notice will be issued to both parties for hearing. The committee is authorised to give instructions for the safety and protection of the aggrieved women if and when it is required.

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