‘UP tops list of varsity abuses’

About one-fourth of sexual harassment cases on university campuses in the country were reported from Uttar Pradesh, according to data collated by the University Grants Commission (UGC), setting the context of the public outrage over an incident of molestation at Benaras Hindu University (BHU).

The UGC data on sexual harassment on campuses, collected in a first-of-its-kind exercise, is for one year—from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017. It is based on the complaints of students to authorities.

Of the 103 cases reported from government and private universities across the country, 24 were from UP. BHU didn’t figure in that list, which has cases from Aligarh University, Ambedkar University, and Sharda University, among others. Of 16 cases reported from Punjab, 12 were from Panjab University, Chandigarh; there were 8 complaints from Haryana and 15 from University of Calicut in Kerala.

The data showing the maximum number of such incidents in UP is in sync with the trend indicated by national crime records bureau (NCRB) figures. The

NEW DELHI:

number of sexual harassment cases went up by 33 % — from 4,435 in 2014 — in 2015, reported Indiaspend, a data journalism initiative, quoting NCRB figures.

“Cases range from eve-teasing, stalking, to sending vulgar messages to girl students. This includes students as well as teachers. In many cases deduction of marks has been carried out as a penalty, affidavit of good conduct has been taken from the students, students are put on probation and debarred from campus placements,” an official told HT.

Concerned over the number of cases, the commission had notified UGC (Prevention, prohibition and redressal of sexual harassment of women employees and students in higher educational institutions) regulations that asked institutions to take action on complaints of employees and students of all sexes.