The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan

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Grievances Committee
Mechanism TORs and SOPs

EMPLOYEES GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL POLICY/ MECHANISM:

Aim: To facilitate resolution of the grievances in a fair and impartial manner by involving the relevant departments dealing with the substantive function connected with the grievance while maintaining necessary confidentiality.

Objective:
The objective of the Grievance Redressal Committee is to develop a responsive and accountable approach among all the stakeholders so as to maintain a harmonious educational atmosphere in the University.

Objective:

To uphold the dignity of the University by ensuring conflict free environment and promote cordial Student-Student, Student-Teacher, Student-Employee, Employee-Employee relationship, and empowered them to take ownership of their institution and its policies.
To encourage the Students, Employees and other Stakeholders to express their grievances/ problems freely and frankly, without any fear of being victimized.
To advise the Students and employees of the University to respect the right and dignity of one another and show utmost restraint and patience whenever a conflict arises.
To advise all the stakeholders to be affectionate towards each other and not behave in a vindictive manner towards anyone for any reason.

Mechanism for Redressal of Grievances:
The students are main stakeholders of the University, though the teachers, administrative officers, support staff and alumni are also the key pillars in the life of this institution. Taking this spirit into consideration, the University has established the Grievance Redressal Committee to promote a cordial educational environment on the campuses. The Grievances Redressal Committee may broadly include and consider the following complaints for consideration:

Grievance Related to Academic Matters
Grievance Related to Non-Academic Matters
Grievance Related to Assessment
Grievance Related to Victimization
Grievance Related to Harassment
Grievance Related to Conduct of Examinations
Grievance Related to Service Matters

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP):
Any stakeholder who wants to initiate a grievance/complaint may in the first instance bring the issue to the notice of the head of the respective Teaching/Administrative Department, who will address the issue and try to resolve it within 10- working days of the receipt of the grievance.

If no response is received within the stipulated time from the respective department or the grievant is dissatisfied with response/resolution to his/her grievance, then the grievant may register his/her grievance to the University Grievance Redressal Committee.

Procedure to be observed for Grievance Redressal by Grievance Redressal Committee:

Step-1:
Student and Staff to register a written complaint with the Focal Person/Secretary of the committee in person or through the official email address of the committee/Secretary. The complainants are required to use his/her official email address or to provide a copy of his CNIC or CNIC No., their Department/Section, Address, Email and contact number for future correspondence. The committee will be duty bound not to disclose name(s) of the complainant. The complainant shall also clearly mention whether he/she wants to be heard in person for perusal of the Grievance/ Complaint.
(Anonymous letters/emails will be not taken into consideration).

Step-2:
The committee shall first look into the genuineness of the complaint and see if it is maintainable. If the complaint is maintainable, the committee first job may be to look into the ways wherein the grievance can be resolved through mediation without undergoing a formal inquiry.

Step-3:
If the matter requires a formal inquiry then the Grievance Redressal Committee shall probe into the matter in order to find facts of the case within one month and suggest measures to the Vice Chancellor/ Chairman Syndicate for its solution. The committee can co-opt other members depending on the nature of the case to reach a logical conclusion. The complainant(s) and the respondent(s) or the respondent department(s) shall be given a reasonable opportunity to justify their stance during the probe.

Step-4:
The Vice Chancellor may approve the findings of the committee and issue directives in matters which are in his competence. In case the issue(s) is/are not in his competence the same may be referred to the relevant Statutory bodies along with comments of the Vice Chancellor for a final decision. The said decision would be final in the matter, appeal whereof can be made as per provisions of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Universities Act-2012.

Residual Provision:

In case the matter is grave in nature and require a thorough probe then it may be referred for a procedural inquiry to the Vice Chancellor/ Syndicate by committee.
In case the matter is related to a statutory body it may directly be recommended to be dealt accordingly without undergoing an inquiry into it.

Terms of Reference of the Grievance Redressal Committee:

Functions of the Committee:

To entertain grievances of the students, their parents and employees of the University of Agriculture, Peshawar.
To provide proper opportunity to stakeholders to express their grievances freely and frankly without any fear of being victimized
To ensure that there is no reprisal of any kind against any applicant, witness, or any other participant in the grievance redressal process by reason of such participation in the grievance process.
To protect the privacy and confidentiality of all parties during the investigation, consistent with and subject to the policy guidelines.
To obtain the facts through relevant sources in a fair and objective manner, to work out a resolution of the issues involved with the parties named in the grievance application.
To ensure speedy disposal of every grievance application within a maximum period of one month of the receipt of application.

For more information:
Deputy Registrar (Meetings)
The University of Agriculture Peshawar
Office Phone: +92 91 9221250 Ext: 3124 & 3197
Email: khalid@aup.edu.pk, registrar@aup.edu.pk, zahirshahmarwat@yahoo.com