Women’s cell at Presidency to deal with harassment

Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, August 29, 2007
Presidency College is going to set up women’s cell to deal with sexual harassment.
The first women principal of the college, Mamata Ray, took the intiative to set up this cell. “Though our college has till date has no incident of sexual harassment, but having a women’s cell is absolutely necessary. I do not now why our college did not have a body like this. But now it will be done,” said Ray.
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), the central government body, which grades colleges and university, suggested that Presidency College should have a women’s cell. “We will be talking to all before coming up with the cell. This would include students, teachers and non teaching staff of the college,” Ray informed.
After discussions, the college will constitute the cell as per directive from UGC. “We will soon work on the modalities of this cell once we reach a consensus. The college has grievance and a disciplinary cell to check any irregularity in the campus pertaining to discipline. But this cell would solely redress harassment of women, if we find any such cases,” said Ray.
Haren Bhattacharya head of the department of geology and general secretary of Government College Teachers Association however does not believe in making a gender divide. “We should not segregate between men and women like this. But then this is the need of the hour and all national bodies related to education are suggesting this. But while on one hand it will help feel women more secure it may even increase he gender divide.”
The students are happy with such an initiative but are not sure how such cells can prevent harassment. “My friends elder sister studies in Jadavpur University. They had raised their voice against a professor but at the end of the day the answer scripts were withheld. Though the women’s cell was helped them but they went through a tense and traumatic time,” said a student of second year physics student on condition of anonymity.
It is not mandatory for all colleges to have a women’s cell. However colleges who do not have the cell forwards the complaint to the Calcutta University’s (CU) sexual harassment cell. “Our cell was set up four years back. We have got only three cases. Such cells cannot work unless women raise their voice,” said Suranjan Das, Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic) of the university.
Mou.Chakraborty@hindustantimes.com