Why in news?

The University Grants Commission (UGC) will soon launch a single-window for submitting grievances by merging the different portals and helplines that exist currently, with the aim to fastrack their resolution as well as monitor institutes that are slow in responding to them.

Highlights:

• The portal is called ‘UGC e-samadhan’ and will be available 24×7. It will also provide a toll free number for various stakeholders to lodge complaints.
• Existing platforms such as Students Grievance Portal, Scholarship and Fellowship Portal and PG Portal, as well as different helplines such as Covid-19 Helpline, Scholarship Helpline, National Scholarship Portal Helpline and Saksham Helpline will be merged with the new portal.
• Specific timelines , such as 10 days for responding to student-related issues, 15 days for complaints pertaining to teaching and non-teaching staff, and 20 days for problems related to Universities and Colleges have also been laid down for addressing the grievances registered at the portal.
• The grievances will have to be reviewed on a daily basis at the level of the Bureau Head, and on weekly basis by the Secretary or Chairman of the UGC.

Why this move?

• The UGC receives complaints ranging from admission-related matters, salary payment, disbursal of scholarships, appointment of Vice-Chancellors and complaints of discrimination from students and faculty, among others.

Advantages

• the new platform will also help in identifying institutions that were not responding to the complaints as well as in framing future policies and regulations.