Equal Opportunity cell

Equal Opportunity Cell to ensure opportunities for inclusive, equal and quality higher education to the SEDGs students. The Equal Opportunity Cell shall function as a statutory umbrella body over the existing Cells, such as the SC/ST Cell, OBC Cell, or any other Cell, without any hindrance or interference to the functioning and mandated activities of the latter. 

It shall protect the constitutionally guaranteed rights, dignity, safety, and security of all individuals belonging to the SEDGs and also ensure them equalizing access and opportunities to pursue higher education with the help of the existing statutory bodies such as SC/ST Cell and OBC Cell.

Objectives of Equal Opportunity Cell:

• To protect all the constitutional rights of the SEDGs students.
• To ensure that the Institution inclusive, safe, and secure for the SEDGs students.
• To provide socio-emotional and academic support and mentoring for the students belonging to the SEDGs through proper counselling and mentoring programmes.
• To ensure proper implementation and monitoring of bridge courses designed to benefit SEDGs students.
• To ensure implementation of all such programmes designed and developed to increase the participation of SEDGs students in academic activities.
• To ensure implementation of all policies, including reservation policies and various schemes, programmes, and guidelines of the Govt. of India.
• To ensure that develop appropriate outreach programmes to help the SEDGs students from Special Education Zones (SEZs) to avail the various opportunities of educational/academic programmes.
• Ensure proper implementation of all laws against discrimination and atrocities against the SCs and STs.
• To circulate, publicize, facilitate, and monitor the implementation of the UGC guidelines and instructions issued from time to time in favour of SEDGs.
• To redress the grievances and complaints of the SEDGs students within 15 days through a Grievances Redressal Committee (GRC) without compromising the safety and dignity of the complainant.

Functions of Equal Opportunity Cell:

• To co-ordinate with other existing cells and statutory bodies of the HEIs and enable implementation of the existing schemes and provisions, including scholarships and fellowships of the Govt. of India and respective States.
• To ensure the implementation of bridge courses, earn-while-learn schemes, and outreach programmes designed and developed by HEIs for SEDGs.
• To provide socio-economic, academic, and emotional support and mentoring for such students through proper counselling and mentoring programmes.
• To ensure sensitization of faculty, staff, counsellors, and students on the gender-identity issue and their inclusion in all aspects of the HEI, including making curricula gender and ability inclusive.
• To explore and generate funds from various sources like Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) and Alumni to provide more financial assistance and scholarships to SEDGs to mitigate opportunity costs and fees for pursuing higher education.
• Coordinate with the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) to raise awareness about the implementation of various policies for inclusive and equitable quality higher education.
• To work as a ‘Single Window” for students belonging to SEDGs for their grievances, basic needs, amenities, facilities, welfare measures, and scholarships and fellowships.
• To upload guidelines, facilities, welfare, and safety measures on HEI’s portal and maintain such records to review and monitor amenities and basic facilities for a safe and secure environment for SEDGs.
• To circulate, publicize, and facilitate existing welfare schemes like – Remedial, NET, entry into services, and residential Coaching for SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer), Minority Community, and PwD Students.
• To establish a team of counsellors, social workers, and faculty members to provide emotional and social support to SEDGs to adapt to the environment of the HEI.
• To focus on overall personality and skill development, including professional and soft skills, so as to ensure enhancing the student employability.
• To organize periodic meetings and to monitor the progress of various schemes and all the HEIs may prepare the database.
• To assess the needs of SEDGs and make necessary recommendations to the authorities of the institutions.
• To make faculty, staff, students, and service professionals aware of facilities available for SEDGs.
• To sensitize all the students to bring an attitudinal change towards SEDGs. Students should accept and involve SEDGs in curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities in the HEIs.
• To hold regular meetings with SEDG students to check their grievances and also meet with management/authorities of HEIs to facilitate discussion of the grievances of SEDG students and maintain the confidentiality of deliberations and data.
• To review, monitor, and ensure disposal of all grievances within 15 days.

Governance of Equal Opportunity Cell: