Students grievance redressal panels must have SC, ST, OBC, women as chief or members: UGC
New Delhi (PTI): The University Grants Commission has made it mandatory to appoint representatives from the Schedule Castes, Schedule Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and women either as chairperson or members of students grievance redressal committees.
The UGC (Redressal of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2023, which will replace the 2019 guidelines, were notified on April 11 and have been aligned as per the new National Education Policy.
The commission on Thursday asked all higher education institutions to comply with the new norms that seek to provide opportunities for the redressal of grievances of students already enrolled in any institution, as well as those seeking admission to such institutions.
According to the revised guidelines, at least one member of the student's grievances redressal committee or its chairperson shall be a woman and at least one member or the chairperson shall be from the SC, ST or OBC category.
"Student's Grievance Regulations, 2023, provide an additional forum for redressal of complaints against caste-based discrimination. These regulations do not replace other regulations/guidelines made/issued by the UGC from time to time to ensure that no student is discriminated against on the basis of caste, creed, religion, language, ethnicity, gender or disabilities," said UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar.
Like the 2019 regulations, the UGC has retained student redressal committees that will entertain the complaints of alleged discrimination of students belonging to the SC, ST, OBC, minorities, persons with disabilities categories or women.
The new guidelines have also retained the provision of appointment of an ombudsperson for redressal of grievances of students of a university and colleges/institutions affiliated with a university. The ombudsperson shall be a retired vice-chancellor/retired professor with 10 years of experience or a former district judge.
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India, New Zealand ink free trade agreement
New Delhi (PTI): India and New Zealand on Monday inked a free trade agreement, aimed at boosting two-way commerce and investments.
The pact was signed by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and visiting New Zealand's Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay.
The FTA provides duty-free access for 100 per cent of India's exports to New Zealand, covering all tariff lines or produce categories, and is expected to significantly boost MSMEs and employment by enhancing competitiveness in labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, and processed foods.
Earlier, New Zealand maintained peak tariffs of up to 10 per cent on key Indian exports, including ceramics, carpets, automobiles, and auto components.
With zero-duty market access from entry into force as New Zealand's other trade partners, Indian products will be fully competitive in that country, enjoying a level playing field.
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Significantly, India also secured duty-free inputs for its manufacturing sector, including wooden logs, coking coal, and waste and scraps of metals, lowering production costs and enhancing the global competitiveness of the Indian industry.
On the other hand, India has offered tariff liberalisation on 70.03 per cent of tariff lines covering 95 per cent of bilateral trade value, while keeping 29.97 per cent of tariff lines excluded to protect India's sensitive sectors.
The products that are kept in exclusion are mainly -- dairy (milk, cream, whey, yoghurt, cheese etc.), animal products (other than sheep meat), agricultural products (onions, chana, peas, corn, almonds), sugar, artificial honey, animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils, arms and ammunition, gems and jewellery, copper and articles thereof (cathodes, cartridges, rods, bars, coils), aluminium and articles thereof (ingots, billets, wire bars) among others.
On 30 per cent of tariff lines of New Zealand, India will provide duty elimination on goods such as wood, wool, sheep meat, and leather-raw hides.
Similarly, 35.60 per cent of tariff lines are subject to phased elimination over 3, 5, 7, and 10 years, including petroleum oil, malt extract, vegetable oils, selected electrical and mechanical machinery, and peptones.
New Zealand products which enjoy tariff reductions include wine, pharmaceutical drugs, polymers, aluminum, iron and steel articles, and goods that only 0.06 per cent fall under tariff rate quotas, including Manuka honey, apples, kiwi fruit, and albumins, including milk albumin.
The FTA also includes a commitment to facilitate USD 20 billion in investment into India.
A rebalancing clause is incorporated into the Agreement to provide a framework for addressing any shortfall in investment delivery, thereby ensuring robust and tangible economic outcomes.
Total bilateral trade in goods and services reached USD 2.4 billion in 2024.
