| Name of the Policy/ Guidelines | Protection for those reporting Discrimination |
| Short Description | This Policy aims to guide and protect individuals who report violations of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s discrimination policies and provides channels to report these violations. |
| Scope | This Policy applies to all students, program participants, faculty and staff at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. |
| Policy Status | Revised |
| Date of Approval of Original Policy | 2011 |
| Revision no. | 7 |
| Brief description of the last revision | The 2025 revision strengthens protections for persons reporting or participating in the reporting of discrimination, including safeguards against retaliation, expanded confidentiality and support provisions, consideration of anonymous reports, and interim protective measures. It also expands the Policy to address discrimination and retaliation facilitated through digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence, and includes a reference to the University’s dedicated counseling center.. |
| Date of approval of the current revision | 22 October 2025 |
| Effective Date | 22 October 2025 |
| Approval Authority | School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leadership Council, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham |
| Contact | Center for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality / UNESCO Chair on Gender Equality Email: dean_sbs@am.amrita.edu Phone: +91 94460 40075 |
Background:
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham firmly believes in the rights of all human beings regardless of their gender. We aim to prevent and eliminate any systemic inequality faced by any person regardless of their gender, caste, creed, language, ethnicity, disability, or other grounds protected under applicable law and University policy.
Our institution is committed to providing an environment in which all members of our thriving community are valued and treated with respect, and where harassment and discrimination are not tolerated.
We believe that, when incidents of discrimination are reported, protection of the complainant and of all persons who participate in good faith in reporting, supporting, providing information, or assisting with an inquiry is essential to encourage the reporting of misconduct and to maintain confidence in the grievance process.
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham regards any incident of ragging, harassment, and discrimination as a serious matter and will thoroughly address all complaints to ensure the preservation of a safe work and study environment.
Reporting Procedure
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has constituted several anti-discrimination and complaints committees in compliance with the UGC “Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations”, 2012, UGC (Redressal of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2023 and Guidelines for Scheme of Equal Opportunity Centre for Colleges, 2012-2017, the UGC “Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions” Regulations, 2015, the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, the UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.
This allows persons within the scope of this Policy to report complaints, including violations of the Policy on Non-Discrimination against Women, the Policy on Non-Discrimination Against Transgender Persons, and acts of ragging, harassment, discrimination, misconduct, retaliation, or other related violations. The policies and procedures provide channels to report violations at any level.
Digital and AI-Enabled Harm
Reports may also concern discrimination, harassment or retaliation occurring through digital platforms, Artificial Intelligence (AI) or other emerging technologies. This may include AI-enabled harassment, impersonation, deepfakes or other synthetic content, discriminatory automated decision-making, cyberstalking, doxxing, misuse of personal information, or other technology-facilitated forms of discrimination.
Where digital, AI-generated or manipulated material is involved, the University will seek to assess such material carefully and fairly and will not presume its authenticity solely on the basis of its digital form.
Dedicated Committees have been created in the following campuses:
Different types of Committees ensure that all complaints are properly addressed:
The contact details of all the members of Committees, including phone number and direct email, can be found here: https://www.amrita.edu/grievance. The contact details of the Equal Opportunity Cell are the following: eoc@amrita.edu.
Any person within the scope of this Policy may reach out to any member of the relevant Committee, whether Chairperson or Member. Reports may be made through designated written, electronic or in-person channels, subject to applicable procedures. Complaints should ideally be filed in writing and accompanied by supporting documents, if any, to facilitate further inquiries. A person should not be prevented from reporting a concern solely because documentary or other supporting evidence is not immediately available.
The Committees will notably:
Interim Protection and Support
Where appropriate, temporary measures may be considered during an inquiry to protect the safety, dignity, academic participation or professional interests of the persons involved. Such measures will be determined according to the circumstances of the case and should not prejudge the outcome of the inquiry.
Good Faith and Anonymous Reports
Complaints shall be made in good faith and on reasonable grounds by persons within the scope of this Policy. The person reporting discrimination should reasonably believe the disclosed information to be substantially true, even if that belief later turns out to be incorrect. A complaint that is not substantiated after inquiry will not, by itself, be considered false or malicious.
The Committee may, if it deems fit, call for further information or particulars from the person making the disclosure. Anonymous reports may be considered where sufficient information is available to assess the matter. The ability to undertake a formal inquiry may depend on the nature of the allegation, available evidence, and applicable procedural requirements.
Support Services for Complainants
To support those who report discrimination and whenever needed, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham offers support services, including counseling. Complainants can access mental health counseling through the university’s counseling center (Manolayam) and receive guidance on their rights and procedures from designated advisors. Where appropriate, support may also include academic or workplace assistance, safety measures, and referral to relevant external services. These services aim to provide emotional and practical support throughout the reporting and resolution process.
The Committee may also assist a complainant who wishes to file a complaint with the police.
Clear Timelines and Transparency
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham commits to transparent and timely handling of all discrimination complaints. The committees will adhere to a structured timeline for each stage of the inquiry process, consistent with the timelines prescribed under applicable laws and regulations, ensuring that complaints are addressed promptly. Regular updates will be provided to the complainant about the status of their complaint, fostering trust in the system’s fairness and efficiency.
Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham conducts periodic reviews of this Policy to assess its effectiveness and make necessary updates to address evolving challenges and opportunities.
