To provide better safety for women in the campus, Ranchi University will launch a toll free number for the Women’s Grievance Redressal Cell of the university. The toll free number, set to be launched on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8 is likely to help female students reach out for help without hesitation.
Member secretary of Women’s Grievance Redressal Cell, Renu Diwan said, “Till date the aggrieved people used to call up on my personal number or give a complaint in writing. Once the toll free number is released, they will have an easier way to lodge their complaints.”
The grievance redressal cell does not just get cases from students but also from female teachers. Recently, a female teacher of a constituent college of RU filed a complaint against a male teacher of the same college for passing indecent comments on her.
In another case, few students of another college had lodged a complaint against the principal about him smoking while talking to girls.
“In the second case the principal was given a warning and transferred. Most of the cases are about sexual harassment and people passing lewd comments.
We initially try to counsel the people alleged of harassing women but if they do not change, action is taken against them,” Diwan said.
At present only the university level complaints are entertained by the cell while the college level complaints are dealt at the respective colleges.
“Only those cases which are not solved at college level come to us. However, once the toll free number is launched, cases from colleges can also be registered directly with us and we can follow up with colleges to know whether action is being taken in these cases,” Diwan said.
The idea of a toll free number is being appreciated by the students.
“When we have a toll free number we would know where to contact in case of emergency. Also, we will not have to run from pillar to post to lodge our complaints,” said Manisha Kumari, student of PG department of RU.
Meanwhile, there is also a plan to install eight sanitary pad wending machines at various places in the RU campus on March 8.
“While Women’s College and Nirmala College have these wending machines, there are no such machines in the university campus.
The machines are being installed on the demand of the new students’ union as it is the need of the hour,” the member secretary said.
