Ord. XV-B. Maintenance of Discipline among Students of the University

All powers relating to discipline and disciplinary action are vested in the Vice-Chancellor.

The Vice-Chancellor may delegate all or such powers as he/she deems proper to the Proctor and to such other persons as he/she may specify in this behalf.

Without prejudice to the generality of power to enforce discipline under the Ordinance, the following shall amount to acts of gross indiscipline: (a) physical assault, or threat to use physical force, against any member of the teaching and non-teaching staff of any Institution/Department and against any student within the University of Delhi; (b) carrying of, use of, or threat to use of any weapons; (c) any violation of the provisions of the Civil Rights Protection Act, 1976; (d) violation of the status, dignity and honour of students belonging to the scheduled castes and tribes; (e) any practice-whether verbal or otherwise-derogatory of women; (f) any attempt at bribing or corruption in any manner; (g) wilful destruction of institutional property; (h) creating ill-will or intolerance on religious or communal grounds; (i) causing disruption in any manner of the academic functioning of the University system; (j) ragging as per Ordinance XV-C.

Without prejudice to the generality of his/her powers relating to the maintenance of discipline and taking such action in the interest of maintaining discipline as may seem to him/her appropriate, the Vice-Chancellor, may in the exercise of his/her powers aforesaid order or direct that any student or students - (a) a.be expelled; or (b) be, for a stated period rusticated; or (c) be not for a stated period, admitted to a course or courses of study in a College, Department or Institution of the University; or (d) be fined with a sum of rupees that may be specified; or (e) be debarred from taking a University or College or Departmental Examination or Examinations for one or more years;or (f) that the result of the student or students concerned in the Examination or Examinations in which he/she or they have appeared be cancelled.

The Principals of the Colleges, Heads of the Halls, Deans of Faculties, Heads of Teaching Departments in the University, the Principal, School of Open Learning and Librarians shall have the authorityto exercise all such disciplinary powers over students in their respective Colleges, Institutions, Faculties and Teaching Departments in the University as may be necessary for the proper conduct of the Institutions, Halls and teaching in the concerned Departments. They may exercisetheir authority through, or delegate authority to such of the teachers in their Colleges, Institutions or Departments as they may specify for these purposes.

Without prejudice to the powers of the Vice-Chancellor and the Proctoras aforesaid, detailed rules of discipline and proper conductshall be framed. These rules may be supplemented, where necessary, by the Principals of Colleges, Heads of Halls, Deans of Faculties and Heads of Teaching Departments in this University. Each student shallbe expected providehimself/herself with a copy of these rules. At the time of admission, every student shall be required to sign a declaration that on admission he/she submits himself/herself to the disciplinary jurisdiction of the Vice-Chancellor and several authorities of the University who may be vested with the authority to exercise discipline under the Acts, the Statutes, the Ordinances and the rules that have been framed therein by the University.

Ragging in any form is strictly prohibited, within the premises of College/Department or Institution and any part of Delhi University system as well as on public transport.

Any individual or collective act or practice of ragging constitutes gross indiscipline and shall be dealt with under this Ordinance.

Ragging for the purposes of this Ordinance, ordinarily meansany act, conductor practice by which dominant power or status of senior students is brought to bear on students freshly enrolled or students who are in any way considered junior or inferior by other students; and includes individual or collective acts or practices which -(a) involve physical assault or threat to use of physical force; (b) violate the status, dignity and honour of women students; (c)violate the status, dignity and honour of students belonging to the scheduled caste and tribe; (d) expose students to ridicule and contempt and affect their self-esteem; (e) entail verbal abuse and aggression, indecent gestures and obscene behavior.

The Principal of a College, the Head of the Department or an Institution, the authorities of College, or University Hostel or Halls of Residence shall take immediate action on any information of the occurrence of ragging.

Notwithstanding anything in Clause (4) above, the Proctor may also suo moto enquire into any incident of ragging and make a report to the Vice-Chancellor of the identity of those who have engaged in ragging and the nature of the incident.

The Proctor may also submit an initial report establishing the identity of the perpetrators of ragging and the nature of the ragging incident.

If the Principal of a College or Head of the Department or Institution or the Proctor is satisfied that for some reason,to be recorded in writing, it is not reasonably practical to hold such an enquiry, he/she may so advise the Vice-Chancellor accordingly.

When the Vice-Chancellor is satisfied that it is not expedient to hold such an enquiry,his/her decision shall be final.

On the receipt of a report under Clause (5) or (6) or a determination by the relevant authority under clause (7) disclosing the occurrence of ragging incidents described in Clause 3(a), (b) and (c), the Vice-Chancellor shall direct or order rustication of a studentor students for a specific number of years.

The Vice-chancellor may in other cases of ragging order or direct that any student or students be expelled or be not for a stated period, admitted to a course of study in a college, departmental examination for one or more years or that the results of the student or students concerned in the examination or examinations in which they appeared be cancelled.

In case any students who have obtained degrees or diplomas of Delhi University are found guilty; under this Ordinance, appropriate action will be taken under Statute15 for withdrawal of degrees or diploma conferred by the University.

For the purpose of this Ordinance, abetment to ragging whether by way of any act, practice or incitement of ragging will also amount to ragging.

All Institutions within the Delhi University system shall be obligated to carry out instructions/ directionsissued under this Ordinance, and to give aid assistance to the Vice-Chancellor to achieve the effective implementation of the Ordinance.

Where incident(s) of ragging are reported to the Vice-Chancellor by any authority under this Ordinance, the students(s) involved in ragging, shall be expelled for a specified term, designated in the order. Non-students involved in reports of ragging will be proceeded with under the criminal law of India; they will also be rendered ineligible for a period of five years from seeking enrolment in any of the institutions of the University of Delhi. Students against whom necessary action is taken under this note, will be given post decisional hearing, with strict adherence to the rules of natural justice.

Following the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and its notification by the Government of India, the University of Delhi released a notification (No. Estab.II(1)/27/ACC/2006/) on January 9, 2014. declaring that the provisions of the Act supersede University Ordinance XV-D. Additionally, through its Notification No. Estab.II(i)/027/ACC/2006 dated January 16, 2014, the University of Delhi established its own Internal Complaints Committee, as required by the Act. The University directed all colleges and institutions under its jurisdiction to form their own Internal Complaints Committees.

As per the 2013 Act, the University of Delhi is dedicated to upholding a safe and respectful academic and work environment that is free from any form of sexual harassment for all its students, academic staff, and non-teaching staff.

Sexual Harassment shall include, but will not be confined to, the following:

When submission to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature are made, either implicitly or explicitly, a ground for any decision relating to employment, academic performance, extracurricular activities, or entitlement to services or opportunities at University of Delhi.

When unwelcome sexual advances, verbal and non-verbal and/or physical conduct such as loaded comments, remarks or jokes, letters, phone calls or e-mails, gestures, exhibition of pornography, lurid stares, physical contact, stalking, sounds or display of a derogatory nature that have the purpose and/or effect of interfering with an individual's performance or of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.

When a person uses, with a sexual purpose, the body or any part of it or any object as an extension of the body in relation to another person without the latter's consent or against the person's will, such conduct will amount to sexual assault.

When deprecatory comments, conduct, or any such behavior is based on the gender identity/sexual orientation of the person and/or when the classroom or other public forum of the University is used to denigrate/discriminate against a person or create a hostile environment on the basis of a person's gender identity/sexual orientation.