KOCHI: The APJ Abdul Kalam Kerala Technological University (KTU) is in the dock with a few students and parents complaining that it has not so far appointed an ombudsman for redressal of their grievances related to engineering colleges including the self-financing. AICTE mandated in 2012, well before KTU was established in 2014, that grievance redressal committees should be established in each technological institution approved by AICTE, and the tech universities must appoint an ombudsman for the purpose of redressal of grievances of students, parents and others.
They were also asked to publish detailed information including name and address in this regard on their website, prospectus and notice board. “All aggrieved students, their parents and others may thenceforth approach the Grievance Redressal Committee of the institution in the first instance, and if they are not satisfied with the decision of the committee, they may send their appeals to the ombudsman directly. The ombudsman shall exercise its powers to hear those grievances and ensure its disposal within one month of the receipt of the appeal,” the order of the AICTE said. Incidentally, the order was issued by the then member secretary of AICTE Kuncheria P. Isaac who is the founding and current vice-chancellor of KTU.
“Even when this is the case, the KTU has so far not taken any step to appoint the ombudsman to redress the grievances of students and parents which are rejected by the self-financing colleges’ grievance redressal committees,” said Salim K., a native of Muvattupuzha whose petition was rejected by an SF engineering college. KTU pro-VC Dr M. Abdul Rahman told DC that KTU was in the process of appointing an ombudsman. “We are looking for a retired judge and are hopeful of zeroing in on a person soon,” he added. He said that currently the Vice Chancellor is dealing with all the complaints.
