Cuttack: The Orissa high court on Wednesday issued notice to the registrar of Utkal University over the absence of an ombudsman while hearing a PIL that flagged violation of UGC norms and seeking a response within two weeks.The petition, filed by Bhubaneswar-based advocate and human rights activist Prabir Kumar Das on March 10, was taken up by a division bench of Chief Justice Harish Tandon and Justice M S Raman. Arguing in person, Das contended that the university has failed to comply with the UGC (Redressal of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2021, which came into force on April 11, 2023. The rules make it mandatory for universities to establish a Students Grievances Redressal Committee (SGRC) and appoint an ombudsman to hear appeals against the committee’s decisions.As per Regulation 6, the ombudsman should be a retired vice-chancellor, a retired professor with at least 10 years of experience as a dean or a former district judge. The tenure is fixed at three years or up to the age of 70.The petitioner noted that the UGC had directed all universities to appoint an ombudsman within 30 days of notification, but Utkal University is yet to have one.The matter will be heard next on July 8.Das stated that he had earlier written to the vice-chancellor on March 13, 2024, urging implementation of the regulation, but received no response. An RTI reply from the university’s public information officer on October 19, 2024, stated the matter was under “active consideration”.
