Formation of Women Protection Cell (WPC)

As per the provision of the Section 4 (20 of the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013, Government Polytechnic, Amadalavalasa has formed the Women Protection Cell (WPC) in the College to look into the matters pertaining to the Gender sensitive issues and curb atrocities against women.

 Organizational Structure

The organizational structure of Women Protection Cell (WPC) in the College is as follows:

The Chair Person is at the helm of affairs organizing the entire individual Sub-Committees.   The members of the WPC are allotted specific duties for organizational ease:

Legal Aspects:

There are several stringent rules, regulations and guidelines prescribed for mandatory implementation in the educational institutions against sexual harassment of women at work place under (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal Act, 2013). The following is the prescribed code of conduct as per the ACT in order to curb the serious criminal offence of sexual harassment:

Sexual harassment can be broadly defined as incidents of direct physical contact, demand for sexual favours, or implied Eve- teasing, unsavoury remark, jokes causing or likely to cause awkwardness or embarrassment, innuendos and taunts, gender based insults or sexiest remark, unwelcome sexual overtone in any manner such as over telephone , touching or brushing against any part of the body and the like,

displaying filthy pornographic or other offensive or derogatory pictures or gestures, forcible physical touch or molestation, physical confinement against one’s will and any other act likely to violate one’s privacy or any hostile or intimidating act.

Constitution: (WPC)

The Committee shall consist of following members:

• The Principal as the Chairman
• Convener of the Committee nominated by the Principal as the Member Secretary - Ex-officio One senior female faculty from each Department to be nominated by HODs
• One external member from the society
• Two girl students from each Department to be nominated by HODs
• The number of members can be increased equally by adding nominees of the Principal. The total number of members of the Women Protection Cell however shall not exceed

The purpose of this Committee is to provide protection to the women in professional environment and prevention, redressed of complaints of sexual harassment.

Working Rules for Women Protection Cell (WPC):

In pursuance of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 and the Rules framed there under, Government Polytechnic, Amadalavalasa adopts the procedures detailed hereunder for processing the complaints filed to the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and adequately address the issues so that natural justice and fair play prevail in disposing off all the complaints. The ICC reserves the right to modify the procedures under exceptional cases and conditions:

An aggrieved woman needs to lodge a formal written complaint within a period of fifteen days in instances of sexual harassment.

The received complaint shall be forwarded to the Presiding Officer immediately, who will notify the Committee members within three days.

The Committee shall decide the jurisdiction and issue notices within 7 working days to get written explanations within 10 days.

Before initiation of any action, the Committee may work out reconciliation between the offender and the aggrieved and record the same extending copies to both the parties.

If conciliation is found to be not feasible, notice will be issued to both parties for hearing.