PoSH Commitees

Internal Complaints Committee

The PoSH Act

Workplace sexual harassment is a form of gender discrimination which violates a woman’s fundamental right to equality and right to life. India’s first legislation specifically addressing the issue of workplace sexual harassment, the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (PoSH act) was enacted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, India in 2013. The PoSH Act has been enacted with the objective of preventing and protecting women against workplace sexual harassment and to ensure effective redressal of complaints of sexual harassment. The statute aims at providing every woman a safe, secure and dignified working environment free from all forms of harassment.

Sexual harassment means any unwanted conduct with sexual undertones if it occurs or which is persistent and which demeans, humiliates or creates a hostile and intimidating environment or induces submission by actual or threatened adverse consequences and includes any one or more or all of the following unwelcome acts or behaviour (whether directly or by implication), namely –

Any unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature

Demand or request for sexual favours

Making sexually coloured remarks

Physical contact and advances

Anyone (or more than one) of the following circumstances, if it occurs or is present in relation or connected with any behaviour that has explicit or implicit sexual undertones-

Implied or explicit promise of preferential treatment as quid pro quo for sexual favours.

Implied or explicit threat of detrimental treatment in the conduct of work.

Implied or explicit threat about the present or future status of the person connected.

Creating an intimidating offensive or hostile learning environment.

Humiliating treatment likely to affect the health, safety, dignity or physical integrity of the person concerned.

Composition of the ICC

1.     A presiding officer who shall be a women faculty member employed at a senior level at the educational institute, nominated by the executive authority.

2.     Two faculty members and two non-faculty members nominated by the executive authority.

3.     Three students, if the matter involves students, elected through transparent democratic procedure.

4.     One member from amongst non-governmental organisations/associations committed to the cause of women or a person familiar with the issues relating to sexual harassment, nominated by the executive authority.

VIPER - ICC members

PoSH