Institutional Code of Conduct for Various Stakeholders of the College

The Principal asks for the co-operation of all the stakeholders of the college, i.e. the students, the teaching staffs, the non-teaching staffs, the guardians, in creating and maintaining of an holistic atmosphere encouraging the academic and cultural development, and in upholding the traditions of the institution as well as the society. Students are especially invited to cooperate, in their own interest to make this institution a better organization. The teaching and non-teaching faculty members are requested to guide the students both in and out of the class rooms wherever and whenever the need arises. The guardians are always advised to keep a close contact with the respective departmental teachers so that the individual student’s progression can be monitored as well.

[A] BEHAVIOURAL DISCIPLINE OR CODES OF CONDUCT IN CLASSROOM AND COLLEGE PREMISES – DO’S AND DONT’S

1. Students must be punctual and regular in attending classes, tutorials, class tests examinations etc. Failure to obtain the required attendance percentage (as per the Vidyasagar University regulation, a minimum of 75% of attendance), non-submission of assignments and groundless absence from tests /examinations will be treated as breaching the code of conduct.
2. Student must be seated in their classrooms at the beginning of each period. They must not enter or leave the class room without permission of the lecturer.
3. Impersonation during roll call is a punishable offence.
4. Use of Mobile Phones during class hours, without the permission of the teacher is prohibited.
5. Resorting or encouraging to any kind of malpractice (copying, cheating, use of other unfair means, exchanging answer-sheets) during examinations will not be tolerated and will be dealt with punishments.
6. Students, both teaching and non-teaching faculty members are requested carefully to follow the notices put up on the College Notice Board (both online and offline).
7. When a teacher is absent or is unable to take class, students should maintain discipline among themselves so as to not disturb the adjoining classes.
8. Students are expected to treat the members of the both teaching and non-teaching faculty members and their fellow students with courtesy both in and outside the College. Students shall not, by their act or conduct, cause damage to the reputation of the institution.
9. All the stakeholders of the college are requested to upheld and maintain dignity to every caste and religion. Disparaging remarks or actions against any gender, caste and religion will not be tolerated and must be reported to Vishaka Cell, SC,ST,OBC Cell and Grievance Redressal Sub-committee.
10. Students are expected to come to College dressed suitably.
11. Students must wear and display visibly their Identity Cards at the gate while entering the College and always keep it on your person during College hours inside the campus.
12. Students are forbidden from inviting friends from other institutions and outsiders to the college. Any outsider must seek permission from the office of the Principal before entering into the college premises for any reason whatsoever.
13. Any writing, graffiti, scribbling on the walls without permission of the college authority will attract disciplinary measures against the stakeholder/s.
14. Smoking, chewing and spitting of tobacco products, consumption of alcohol or narcotic drugs is strictly prohibited inside the college premises. Violation of this rule will invite severe disciplinary action. The college premises is a tobacco free zone, all the stakeholders should respect it.
15. Stakeholders must refrain from mishandling, damaging and tampering with library books or other college property. Violation of this rule will invite severe disciplinary action.
16. No stakeholder is allowed to commit or cause breach of peace and harmony inside and around the college campus.
17. Ragging in any form is strictly prohibited. Disciplinary action will be taken against those who violate this rule. It is mandatory for all students and guardians to know that the college will take strict measure if any stakeholder is found to be engaged in or encouraging the practice of ragging.
18. Any damage or defacement of college property is a punishable offence. If a college property is found damaged in a classroom while the class is assembled the loss may be recovered by a fee imposing upon the whole class if the students responsible for such damage cannot be detected.
19. Habitual misconduct/repeated breach of the College Rules & Regulation will be considered as a grave offence and will result in suspension/expulsion of the student with immediate effect.

[B] ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Academic integrity refers to an essential quality that an institution must uphold to fulfil its academic objective and research, and hence its violation constitutes a serious offence. The principles of academic integrity form an integral part of the code of conduct to which all the students of the institution must adhere. Breach of this code puts into question both the reputation of the Institution and the value of the degree awarded to the students. Every student of the Institution should be responsible to ensure the highest quality of the academic integrity. The teaching faculty members should always remain helpful. Regular assessments and evaluations are needed to examine the student’s progression thoroughly.

The principles of academic integrity require that a student should:

(i)   Properly acknowledge and cite use of ideas, results, materials onwards of others.
(ii)  Properly acknowledge all contributions to a given piece of work.
(iii) Make sure that all assignments submitted are original.
(iv)  Perform academic activities without the aid of impermissible materials or collaboration and by obtaining all data or results through ethical means.
(v) Have right to pursue their educational goals without interference.

Violation of this policy includes but not limited to:

(a) Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the unethical use of data, idea, materials, figures or codes as one’s own without properly acknowledging the original source. Example of Plagiarism includes: (i) Reproducing fully or partially, verbatim or paraphrased, texts/ sentences from a report, book, thesis, publication of others without proper citation. (ii) Reproducing one’s, previously published data, figure, material, graphs, drawings, photographs, diagrams, tables, spread-sheets, computer programme or those published by other persons ,without citing the original source into one’s class reports, presentations, manuscripts, research paper or thesis.(iii) Submitting a purchased or downloaded term paper or other material to satisfy a course requirement.

(b) Cheating: Cheating includes but not limited to (i) copying during examinations and copying of homework assignments term papers, these or manuscript. (ii) Allowing or facilitating copying or making proxy in examination or writing assignment for someone else. (iii) Using unfair means or collaborating unethically during examination or in assignment. (iv) Fabricating or falsifying data and reporting them in thesis and publication. (v) Creating sources or citation that does not exist. (vi) Altering previously submitted work for new submission. (vii) Signing with another student’s name on exam paper, assignment, thesis, attendance sheet or manuscript.

(c) Conflict of Interest: Clash of personal interest with professional activity can lead to potential clash of interest in diverse activities such as teaching, research, publication, working on committees, research, funding and consultancy. It is necessary to protect professional objectivity and transparency to avoid class of interest not only in financial matter but also in the professional activity related to academia.

[C] ANTI-RAGGING AND ANTI-SEXUAL HARASSMENT

The Institution implemented a strict and active anti-ragging policy based on the UGC Regulation on curbing the hazard of ragging and sexual harassment in Higher Educational Institution, 2009. This UGC Regulation was framed in accordance with the directions issued by the honourable Supreme Court of India to prevent and prohibit ragging in all Indian Educational Institutions and Colleges.

Ragging constitutes one or more of the following acts: (a) Any conduct by any student or group of students –whether through spoken or written words on physical act-which has the effect of fearing or misbehaving any student, (b) Indulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities or asking any student to do any act which such student will not in ordinary course do and thereby causes shame, annoyance, torment, hardship, embarrassment which inflict intense psychological harm or raise fear on apprehension in any student. (c) Any act by senior students that prevent, disrupt or disturb the regular academic activity of any student. (d) Any act of financial extortion put on any student.

Sexual harassment includes one or more of the following acts: (a) Any remark or physical action that can be described as a sexual misbehaviour against any gender, (b) Any act of physical abuse including sexual abuse, stripping, forcing in lewd acts on gestures causing bodily harm to any student. (c) Any act of verbal or written abuse such as calling foul names, insulting publicly, offensive emails which embarrass annoy and discomfort any student.

Anti-ragging Sub-committee: This committee shall examine all complain of ragging and come out with recommendation based on the nature of the incident and proper investigation.

Vishaka Cell: This cell shall examine all complain of sexual harassment and come out with recommendation based on the nature of the incident and proper investigation.

Disciplinary measures against the act of ragging or sexual harassment:

A student or group of students if found guilty by the anti-ragging sub-committee or Vishaka Cell will attract one or more of the following disciplinary action by the college authority:

1. a) Suspension from attending classes and academic privileges.
   b) Withholding / withdrawing scholarship/ fellowship and other benefits.
   c) Debarring from appearing in any test/examination or other evaluation process.
   d) Withholding results.
   e) Debarring from undertaking any collaborative work or attending national or international conferences/symposia/meeting to present his/her research work.
   f) Suspension/expulsion from the hostels and mess.
   g) Cancellation of examination.
   h) Expulsion from a specified institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution for a specified period.
   i)  If need be, in view of the intensity of the act of ragging committed, a First Information Report (FIR) shall be filed by the Institute with the local police authorities. The Anti-Ragging Sub-committee or Vishaka Cell of the Institute shall take appropriate decision, including imposition of punishment, depending on the facts and circumstances of each incident of ragging and nature and gravity of the incident of ragging or sexual misconduct.