1. INTRODUCTION :

Student focus is one of the core values of KL COE. The COE has a holistic approach towards setting up service standards and continuously improvising students’ experiences based on academic practice as well as students’ feedback across multiple channels.
The COE ensures to provide multiple channels for students to provide feedback on the services of the COE as well as lodge their grievances. The COE aims to ensure quick and effective handling of student grievances as well as prompt corrective and preventive action (including correction of the process, wherever required) in order to avoid recurrence. In order to meet the above objective, the COE has outlined a framework for redressing students’ grievances and documented it in the form of a policy for the reference of students’ touch points.
The COE shall ensure that the Student Grievance Redressal Policy is also available in the public domain (on its website and at branches).

2. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES :

The objective of the policy is to spell out the framework for Grievance Redressal in the COE to ensure that:

• a. All students are treated fairly and in an unbiased manner at all times.
• b. All issues raised by students are dealt with courtesy and resolved on time.
• c. Students are made completely aware of avenues to escalate their grievance within the COE and their rights to alternate remedies if they are not fully satisfied with the response or resolution to their grievance.
• d. The counsellors shall work in good faith and without prejudice towards the interests of the students. Through this policy, the COE shall ensure that a suitable mechanism exists for receiving and addressing grievances from its students and their constituents, with a specific emphasis on resolving such cases fairly and expeditiously, regardless of the source of the case.

3. TENETS OF GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL :

The COE shall be guided by the following tenets in its approach to grievance redressal:

• a. Student Awareness : The COE shall endeavour to make continuous efforts to educate its students to enable them to make informed choices regarding channels to approach for grievance redressal.
• b. Fairness and transparency : The student’s grievance shall be examined in all fairness, and the COE shall take a balanced approach to resolving the same. COE shall ensure student grievances are resolved in a timely and efficient manner.
• c. Escalation : All responses to student grievances will provide an escalation matrix mentioning the details of the next level of grievance redressal for the student.
• d. Review : The COE shall have a regular process of internal review of student grievances at multiple hierarchies to enhance the quality and effectiveness of student service.

4. DEFINITION OF QUERY AND COMPLAINT :

The COE has clearly defined ‘Complaints and Queries’ so that student issues are logged accurately. It is to be noted that the examples mentioned below are illustrative.

• 4.1 Query :
• A Query is:
• a) Any doubt/ enquiry
• b) Student seeking/ cross-checking for clarification / more information
• c) Student enquiring/cross-checking before the expiry of the specified turnaround time (TAT) for service/ deliverables
• d) Student checking status/ progress
• e) Student making a request (e.g., deliverables, services, waivers)
• 4.2 Complaint:
• A Complaint is:
• a) A grievance/ protest/ grumble
• b) Student disputing non–conformance of services/ products/ processes
• c) An error committed by the COE

5. PROCESS OF HANDLING GENERAL GRIEVANCES OF THE COE :

• a. Touchpoints to report student grievances:
  Students will be informed about the channels available for referring/seeking redressal of grievances. These are:
  1. counsellors
  2. Phone
  3. Website
• b. Logging and tracking of student grievances:
  Any grievance received, either verbally, by email, or in writing, if not resolved and responded to within 48 hours, shall be taken to the grievance redressal cell by a web-based record system.
  The system can record and categorise grievances into different types and maintain turnaround times (TAT) ranging from one week to three weeks for specific categories/sub-categories. It also has an auto-escalation mechanism for cases not resolved within a defined TAT.
  With this, the COE shall not only ensure that all the issues are recorded and resolved but shall also ensure an effective monitoring /escalation mechanism for the senior functionary responsible in case the grievance is not resolved within defined timelines.
• c. Turnaround time:
  Depending on the nature of the grievance, specific timelines have been set for different categories. Grievances shall be resolved in a proper and time-bound manner, with detailed advice to the student. The student is kept informed in case of any delay envisaged by the COE in the resolution of the grievance beyond the stated timelines.
• d. Sources of grievances:
  Apart from direct grievances from students, grievances received through various bodies, such as a centralised system, deans, or the registrar’s office, shall be handled centrally under the Grievance Redressal Cell. The cell generally meets once a month during the academic semester, unless it is specially called for.
• e. Mode of response:
  COE shall ensure that the mode of response is as per the mode of student intimation received, e.g., cases received through e-mail shall be responded to through e-mail.
• f. Escalation of grievances:
  The COE has a three-tier escalation mechanism for student grievances, as given below: 1. 1st Level: Counsellors, Faculty, faculty / COE Office 2. 2nd Level: Grievance Redressal Cell (GRC) 3. 3rd Level: Principal Nodal Officer (PNO)/Director