Section 6 in University Grants Commission (Redress of Grievances of Students) Regulations, 2019
6. Appointment, Tenure, Removal and Conditions of Services of Ombudsperson.
- (i) There shall be one or more part-time functionaries designated as Ombudspersons to hear, and decide on, appeals preferred against the decisions of the USGRCs.Provided that, there shall not be more than one ombudsperson for a State, in respect of all the State universities (Public as well as Private) in that State, who shall be appointed by the State Government;Provided further that, there shall not be more than one Ombudsperson for a region, in respect of the Central universities and institutions deemed to be universities in that region, who shall be appointed by the Central Government.(ii)The Ombudsperson shall be a person of eminence in academics or research, who had been Vice- Chancellor of a University.(iii)The Ombudsperson for the State universities in a State, shall not be in any conflict of interest with any University in that State; and the Ombudsperson for the Central universities and institutions deemed to be universities in a region, shall not be in any conflict of interest with any University or institution deemed to be University in that region, either before or after such appointment.(iv)A State Government shall appoint the Ombudsperson from a panel of three names recommended by a search committee constituted for that purpose and consisting of the following, namely:(a)A nominee of the Governor or Lt. Governor, as the case may be, who is a person of eminence in the field of higher education- Chairperson;(b)A Vice Chancellor from a State Public University to be nominated by the Governor/LG of the State/UT - Member;(c)A Vice Chancellor from a State Private University to be nominated by the State Government - Member;(d)Chairperson of the State Council of Higher Education or his/her nominee from among the academic members of the Council- Member;(e)Principal Secretary/Secretary to the State Government responsible for Higher Education- Member Secretary.(v)The Central Government shall appoint the Ombudsperson for a region from a panel of three names recommended by a search committee to be constituted for that purpose, and consisting of the following, namely:(a)Chairperson, University Grants Commission or his/her nominee - Chairperson(b)A Vice Chancellor of a Central University to be nominated by the Central Government - Member(c)A Vice Chancellor of an institution deemed to be University to be nominated by the Central Government - Member(d)A nominee of the Central Government, not below the rank of the Joint Secretary - Member(e)Secretary, University Grants Commission - Member Secretary(vi)The Ombudsperson shall be appointed for a period of three years or until he attains the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier, from the date of assuming office, and shall be eligible for reappointment for another one term for the same State or region, as the case may be.(vii)For conducting the hearings, the Ombudsperson shall be paid a sitting fee, per diem, in accordance with the norms fixed by the University Grants Commission, and shall, in addition, be eligible for reimbursement of the expenditure incurred on conveyance.(viii)The State Government, in the case of an Ombudsperson of a State, and the Central Government, in the case of an Ombudsperson of a region, may remove the Ombudsperson from office, on charges of proven misconduct or misbehavior as defined under these regulations.(ix)No order of removal of Ombudsperson shall be made except after an inquiry made in this regard by a person not below the rank of judge of the High Court in which a reasonable opportunity of being heard is given to the Ombudsperson.
