Bhubaneswar: A senior faculty member of an autonomous college in Balasore was suspended on Tuesday following complaints of harassment lodged against him by a student recently.She sent the complaint to the regional director of education, who directed the college’s internal complaints committee (ICC) to investigate and submit a report. As a precautionary measure, the college decided to place the faculty member under temporary suspension, pending inquiry.College officials said the decision was taken to ensure an unbiased investigation. The ICC has asked the complainant to give a statement in person to help with the investigation.In a similar incident at a women’s college in Sambalpur, the ICC submitted its report following allegations of inappropriate and obscene remarks against a lecturer. The principal of the college informed that the ICC has completed its probe into the allegations made by a group of students recently, and all measures are being taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur.Owing to these cases, the higher education department has asked all colleges and universities to ensure that the internal complaints committees are functional. It also directed institutions that are yet to form ICCs to do so immediately and submit compliance within a week.Following last year’s incident when a girl student died following self-immolation at a higher education institute in Balasore, the department mandated that ICCs should be formed in all institutions under it, while the state govt also launched the Shakthisree scheme to improve girls’ safety on campuses.
