Introduction:

Discrimination against any person on the grounds of his/her minority status or disability is a gross violation of universally accepted principles of human rights and equality and even constitutional obligations. Equal Opportunity Cell was set up by BEHALA COLLEGE to address the issues concerning Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Class and Persons with Disabilities, as per the ‘Guidelines for Scheme of Equal Opportunity Centre for Colleges XII Plan (2012-2017)’.

The main aim of the Equal Opportunity Cell is to take care of the stake holders belonging to diverse backgrounds of community, gender, religion or ability and to ensure that they are not deprived of their essential opportunities. All of them should have access to all the fundamental rights to promote inclusiveness and harmony. Several activities are initiated through this cell to promote overall policies and practices for them and to explore the grievances to ensure equality to the students and faculty members from disadvantaged group inside the campus through proper implementation of the policies and programmes. The cell headed by the Principal, teacher members and student representatives prepare the action plans to ensure the activities for an inclusive atmosphere in the campus.

Objectives of the EOC

• To ensure equity and equal opportunity to the community at large in the college and bring about social inclusion.
• To promote respect for the diversity among the students, teaching and non-teaching staff population and at the same time eliminate the perception of discrimination.
• To create a socially congenial atmosphere for academic and other interaction and for the growth of healthy interpersonal relationships among the students coming from various social backgrounds through awareness generation programmes
• To make efforts to sensitize the academic community regarding the problems associated with social exclusion as well as aspirations of the marginalized communities.
• To help individuals or a group of students belonging to the disadvantaged section of society to contain the problems related to discrimination.
• To look into the grievances of the weaker sections of the society and suggest amicable solution to their problems.
• To disseminate the information related to schemes and programmes for the welfare of the socially weaker section as well as notifications/memoranda, office orders of the Government, or other related agencies/organizations issued from time to time.
• To prepare barrier free formalities/procedures for admission/ registration of students belonging to the disadvantaged groups of society.
• To establish coordination with the Government and other agencies/organizations to mobilize academic and financial resources to provide assistance to students of the disadvantaged groups.
• To organize periodic meetings to monitor the progress of different schemes.
• To adopt measures to ensure due share of utilization by SC/ST /OBC /PWD in admissions, recruitments (teaching and non-teaching posts) and to improve their performances.
• To sensitize the college on the problems of SC/ST /OBC/PWD and other disadvantaged groups.

Composition of the Equal Opportunity Cell :

Chairperson : Dr. Sharmila Mitra (Principal)