ETHICS (CODE OF CONDUCT)

INTRODUCTION

Code of Conduct implies a set of rules and regulations of an organization or an establishment. Members forming these organisations or establishments are obliged to obey these rules and regulations. Jhargram Raj College is a premier educational institution of higher learning that caters the educational needs of the people of an economically backward region. The College was established in 1949. It is a Government College that runs under the Department of Higher Education, Government of West Bengal. Initially, the College was affiliated to erstwhile Calcutta University which is now Kolkata University. In 1985, it came under the affiliation of Vidyasagar University, Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal. The College is included under section 2(f) and under Section 12(b) of UGC Act, 1956. Hence, the College is run by different sets of rules and regulations framed by the Government of West Bengal, by the Statutes of Vidyasagar University, and by the rules stipulated by University Grants Commission. So, the members, both Teaching and Non- Teaching, Students and Guardians are to follow certain set of rules and regulations that regulate the code of conduct of all stakeholders of the College. The corpuses of rules and regulations that govern the College are vast and many. The objectives of preparing this handbook is to articulate the basic rules and regulations that all the constituent members are obliged to follow. Only the important rules and regulations from West Bengal Service Rule Part-I, and West Bengal service Rule Part-II, Statutes of Vidyasagar University, guidelines of University Grants Commission concerning teaching and learning related aspects are codified only in the Handbook. So, the Handbook is not an exhaustive one but only a purposive.  All Faculty Members, Office Assistants, Students and Guardians are very much concerned with these rules and regulations because these only determine the workload and responsibility of everyone concerned.

CODE OF CONDUCT

Jhargram Raj College is situated in a lashing beauty of forest.  It is a Government College established in the year 1949. Since then, the College is carrying the flags of Higher education. As the region is predominantly tribal populated, most of the students belong to marginalized sections of the society. The Jhargram Raj College is, therefore, considered to be one of the premier educational institutions of the region to cater the educational needs of the society in general and weaker sections of the society in particular. The Employees of the College, both teaching and non-teaching, have to obey certain codes of conduct which are formulated by the Government of West Bengal, University Grants Commission, and Statutes of Vidyasagar University to which it is affiliated.

 Section-I: West Bengal Service Rule: Duties, Rights and Obligation

As the College is a government college, the service conditions of the employees, both teaching and non-teachings are regulated by West Bengal Service Rules, Part I and Part II. The West Bengal Services Rules that relate the code of conduct of the employees came into force in 1980 replacing West Bengal Government Servant’s Conduct Rules, 1959. The new service rules enumerate the following duties of a Government Employee:

i.               Every government employee shall bear in mind that he is a public servant; he shall faithfully discharge his duties, shall always be courteous to the public;

ii.              Every Government employee shall discharge his duties rising above all personal, political and other considerations and maintain integrity, impartiality and devotions to duty;

iii.             Every government employee shall, notwithstanding his personal views on any matter relating to State Policy and Programme, faithfully carry out his duties and responsibilities entrusted to him as a public servant;

iv.             Every government shall practice, promote, and encourage collective functioning in the interest of administrative efficiency and apply his personal initiative to the efficient discharge of his duties;

v.              When in the discharge of his duties, a government employee is called upon to decide a matter, and every government employee shall bring this fact in writing to the notice of the authority to whom he is subordinate;

vi.             Every government employee (except Group D Employee) shall once in a year submit his declaration of assets purchased as well as inherited in the prescribed form;

Apart from the above-mentioned duties of the government employees, the following rights for government employees are enumerated in West Bengal Service Rules. These rights are as follows:

1.      Every government employee shall have the rights to form associations, unions or federative bodies of the employees;

2.     Every government employee shall have full trade union rights including the right to strike however, this right is not absolute;

3.     Every government employee shall enjoy full democratic right except for being a member of a political party;

4.     Any government employee may, with prior intimation of the authority and subject to the conditions laid down in clause (7) of Rule 6d, participate in a radio or television programme, provided that nothing should be said in such programme which incite communal or parochial feelings, or, goes against the unity and integrity of the nation;

5.     Any government employee may contribute any literary or scientific writing or write any letter to any newspaper and periodical subject to conditions laid down in clause 4 of Service Rule;

As the rights are not absolute, every government shall have the following obligations:

1.     No government employee shall commit any misconduct as laid down in Section 5 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, or to take any gratification other than the legal remuneration, or obtain valuable things without consideration or for consideration which knows to be inadequate from persons concerned in proceedings;

2.     No government employee shall except with prior sanction of the appointing authority acquire or dispose any immovable property by lease, mortgage, sale, gift, or otherwise either in his name or in the name of any member of his family;

3.     No government employee shall lend money to, or obtain loan from, any member of the public, business house or a trader with whom he has to deal in his official capacity directly or indirectly;

4.     No government employee who has a wife/ husband living shall contract another marriage without obtaining the dissolution of the first marriage in accordance with any law for the time being in force notwithstanding such second marriage is permissible under any personal law of the community to which he or she belongs;

5.     No government employee shall employ or engage any subordinate for any private, domestic, or personal services or for any purpose other than any official business;

6.     No government employee shall use or permit any other person to use a Government vehicle other than the official business;

7.     No government employee shall except in accordance with any general or special order of the government communicate directly or indirectly to official not concerned or non-official person or to the press any secret document or information that may come to his knowledge in course of his public duties;

8.     No government employee shall violate any law relating to intoxicating drinks and drugs;

or consume or be under the influence of any intoxicating drink or drug during the course of his duty and or any public place;

9.     No government employee shall without the previous sanction of the appointing authority accept either directly or indirectly on his own behalf or on behalf of other person any gift of trifling value;

10.  No government employee shall, while on service, accept any service or employment;

11.  No government employee shall except with the previous sanction of the Government engaged in any trade or undertake any employment other than his public duties or carry on directly or indirectly any business except undertaking business of honorary, charitable and cooperative nature.

  Section-II:  Leave Rules:

1.      Leave is not a matter of right as it is clearly mentioned in the Leave Rules of WBSR. Despite the fact, the leave rules clearly spell out the leaves that a government may enjoy:

i.                Unless the Governor in view of the exceptional circumstances of the case otherwise determines:

a.     No permanent employee shall be granted leave over five years,

b.     An employee who remains absent after expiry of leave is not entitled to any salary for such absence,

c.      Willful absence after expiry of leave renders a government employee liable to be disciplinary action, which may result in break in service,

ii.              However, in case of exceptional circumstances, extraordinary leave in excess of the period may be granted as under:

a.     Six months on completion of one year’s service on Medical Certificate,

b.     Eighteen months when undergoing treatment of tuberculosis, leprosy, cancer or mental disease,

c.      24 months for studies certified to be in the public interest

However, as matter of fact, when the exigencies of the public service so require, discretion to refuse or revoke leave is reserved to the authorities empowered to grant it. Rule 166(iii) allows the leave of following nature:

a.     Earned Leave

b.     Half-Pay Leave

c.      Commuted Leave

d.     Leave not due

e.     Extraordinary Leave.

 Section- IV: Teacher’s Council:

As per Government Circular vide G. O. No.4188-Edn(A)/a 51-2/70 dated 26^th November 1970, in every government college there shall be a Teacher’s Council comprising of all teachers including Principal of the college. Here Teacher means a person who imparts tutorial, theoretical / practical instructions to students in a classroom or in the field of physical education.

JJhargram Raj College has also a Teacher’s Council. The Principal of the College is the Chairman of the Teacher’s Council. There is a Secretary of the Council who is a teacher of this college, but not the Principal. Secretary is an elected member of the council. At the commencement of every academic year, the Principal of the College convenes a meeting of Teachers Council after giving at least 7 days’ notice to the members of the Teachers Council specifying the date, time and place of the meeting for the purpose of electing the Secretary of the Council. At the meeting concerned the members of the Teacher’s Council elect one of its members not being the Principal or Vice- Principal by secret ballot to act as its Secretary. The term of the Secretary of the Teacher’s Council is one year from the date of his/her election and includes any period that may elapse between the expiry of the period of one year and the election of his successors. Meeting of Teacher’s Council is convened by the Secretary or Chairman in his absence on such dates and such times and places as may be determined by the Chairman after giving at least 3 days’ notice to the members. In case of urgency, the Chairman may convene meeting of the Council at a shorter period of notice. A meeting of the Council may also be convened on requisition in writing by at least one third of the total members of the Council and the date, time and place of such meetings is fixed by the Chairman and notified by the Secretary to the members referring the matter. Agenda of the meeting are prepared by the Secretary in consultation of the Chairman of the Council. Secretary of the Teachers Council prepare and maintains minutes of all meetings in his custody. For a meeting of the Council, one-third of the total number of its member is considered to be a quorum of the meeting. The functions of the Teacher’s Council are:

• To advise the Principal of the College on all academic matters including student’s welfare and discipline, arrangement of Time Table, conduct of Examination, both internal and University examination, improvement of Library, laboratories, teaching facilities in the college;

The Principal of the College normally acts according to the decisions arrived at the meetings of the Teacher’s Council. However, if the Principal is unable to concur with a decision taken by the Teachers’ Council, he formally asks the Teacher’s Council to reconsider its decisions. The resolution if again passed by a majority of total number of members of the Teacher’s Council in its meeting specially called for consideration of its earlier decisions, the Principal may refer it to the Director of Public Instruction for his decision.

Apart from imparting lessons in the classroom, teachers engage themselves in various administrative works through various sub-committees. Being a member of various sub-committees, a Teacher of the College has to perform certain specified duties such as conduct of admissions, conduct of University Examinations, doing assessment works pertaining to various internal and University examinations, ensuring disciplines in the campus, creating windows for ventilation of grievances of the students and so on.

Section-V: Student’s Council

The West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) Act, 2017 stipulates rules regulating the constitution, functions, procedure of election and other related matters of the Student’s Council of the college. Student’s Council is an association of regular students of a college whose members are directly elected by the regular students of the college or university. The election of Student’s Council is conducted regularly once in every two years as may be advised by the State Government from time to time, and every such elected Students' Council shall ordinarily have a tenure of two years unless otherwise directed by the State Government. Second, the Students' Council of the college ordinarily shall not use any banner or emblem of any political party in any manner during election or campaigning.  Every student contesting in the election as candidate or as class representative shall be identified by his own name, class or section and roll number and nothing else. The whole election process, commencing from filing of nomination papers, scrutiny, preparation of electoral rolls of regular students, declaration of name of contesting candidates, election campaign, casting of votes and declaration of results is ordinarily completed within a period not exceeding thirty days. However, the State Government may under exceptional circumstances, extend such period as it may deem necessary considering the local conditions or otherwise of the College specific situation. The date and time of election in the college is specified by the State Government, from time to time: Provided that the polling and declaration of result shall be done on a single day during the working hours of the College.

 The Students' Council of the college  consists of the following office bearers and members, namely,- (a) the President, who shall be nominated by the Principal /Teacher-in-charge of the college  from amongst the teachers of the College, (b) the Vice-President- who shall be nominated from amongst the teachers by the Teachers' Council of the College. (c) the General Secretary- who shall be elected by the elected Class Representatives of all classes from amongst them in the first meeting of the Student's Council, (d) two Assistant General Secretaries* who shall be elected by the elected Class Representatives of all classes from amongst them in the first meeting of the Student Union or council, (e) not more than five Assistant Secretaries to look after various departments or branches like Cultural Secretary, Welfare Secretary, etc.- who shall be selected by the elected Class Representatives of all classes from amongst them in the first meeting of the Students' Council: Provided that the number of Assistant Secretaries representing various departments or branches may exceed five considering the various activities of the Students' Council but the total number of Assistant Secretaries shall under no circumstances exceed seven. (f) the Treasurer- who shall be nominated by the Principal/ Teacher-in-charge from amongst the teachers of the college in the first meeting of the Students' Council, (g) elected class representatives of all classes/ sections- member, to be elected by the regular students of individual sections or departments. The elected class representatives of all classes/ sections/ departments shall be the members of the Students' Council and shall have power to vote in any meeting of the Council. The President or in his absence, the Vice-President, shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie. Every meeting of the Students' Council shall ordinarily be convened by the President or in his absence, the Vice-President within the college campus and only after the academic hours.  An Election Committee is formed amongst the teachers of the College which is responsible for the proper conduct of the election and to resolve dispute, if any, in consultation with the Election Authority constituted by the State Government for the College. The President of the Election Committee shall appoint Presiding Officers/ Polling Officers for conducting the polls, from amongst the teaching staffs of the college. The Election Committee shall publish the draft electoral roll at least twenty days before the date of Election. The Election Committee shall publish a notification fixing the time and place and other particulars for :(a) issuance of nomination papers; (b) submission of nomination papers; (c) scrutiny of nomination papers; (d) publication of the list of valid nomination papers in alphabetical order of the first names in English spelling; (e) withdrawal of nomination papers; (f) publication of the list of the contesting candidate. Declaration of results is made immediately after the counting is over. The Election Committee appoints Counting Officers from among the members of the whole-time teaching staffs of the college who shall be responsible for counting of votes in the presence of the Presiding officer and the contesting candidates of the College.

Section -VI: Statutes of Vidyasagar University

Apart from West Bengal Service Rules which both the teaching and non-teaching employees adhere to, the code of conduct of both the teaching and non-teaching employees are regulated by the Statutes of Vidyasagar University to which the college is affiliated. Mention may be made here that initially the College was affiliated to Calcutta University. Later it came under the affiliation of Vidyasagar University in 1985. Since then, the College has been following the rules and regulations of Vidyasagar University as laid down in its Statutes pertaining to the teaching, learning and evaluation process. Admission schedule, admission criteria, academic calendar, curriculum, assessment are prepared as per the guidelines of Vidyasagar University.

Affiliation

Statute 37 of Vidyasagar University deals with affiliation process of constituent colleges. Every college has to make an application for getting affiliation. As Jhargram Raj College is a Government College, application for affiliation for each subject is be made through the Director of Public Instructions of the State. As per Statute, the Inspector of Colleges is responsible for ensuring the implementation of the terms and conditions for affiliation and disaffiliation of colleges and for recognition of and withdrawal of recognition from colleges and for report on colleges applying for affiliation or for recognition as constituent or professional colleges, inspection of colleges, preparation of other reports and maintenance of records in relation thereto.

Admission of Students

As mentioned earlier, Jhargram Raj College, being a constituent college of Vidyasagar University, strictly follows the admission criteria stipulated by the University. Admission is done strictly on merit basis. There is a cut off marks for each subject. While admitting students, Jhargram Raj College follows the admission calendar prepared by the University. Every Academic Session of the College starts from 1^st July and ends in 30^th June. Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) is being followed by the College. In order to ensure transparency, online admission process is followed. The whole admission process is widely circulated through the College website so that every prospective student can access the process.

Examination and Results

The Controller of Examinations is in charge of Examination of the Office of the University and responsible for the administrative arrangements for the preparation, making schedule and assessment of examination of both Post Graduate and undergraduate, and publication of results of all such examinations and all other matters related to such examinations. Jhargram Raj college complies all such directives issued from the Office of the Controller of Examination of Vidyasagar University from time to time.

Jhargram Raj College participates in the academic body of Vidyasagar University sending Teacher’s representatives mainly in Board of Studies. As per Statute 31 of Vidyasagar University:

1.     There shall be a Board of Studies in every subject of Post Graduate and Undergraduate teaching;

2.     A Board of Studies of Post Graduate subject shall consist of: (i) the Head of Department of the relevant subject, (ii) the Teachers of the University and Constituent Colleges, (iii) three experts in the relevant subject nominated by the Vice- Chancellor.

3.     Every Board for Undergraduate Studies shall consist of : (i) the Head of the Post Graduate Department in the subject who shall be the Chairman of the Board; (ii) One Reader and one Lecturer ( Now, it is one Associate Professor, one Assistant Professor) of the same department nominated by the Vice- Chancellor; (iii) four teachers in that subject belonging to the colleges affiliated to the University to be elected by the Council of Undergraduate Studies; (iv) three expert in that subject to be nominated by the Vice- Chancellor.

 Section-VII: University Grants Commission

University Grants Commission stipulates regulations regarding appointment of Teachers and other academic staffs in Universities and Colleges and measures for the maintenance of standards in Higher Education. To be appointed as a Teacher of the College, one has to fulfil the minimum qualification prescribed by the UGC. Teachers of the College adhere strictly to the UGC teaching norms as a measure of maintenance of standards in higher education. The College follows UGC stipulated class hour as mentioned below:

Direct Teaching Hour Per week

The above-mentioned norms while calculating API scores of a teacher are taken into consideration. API scores are proposed on the basis of following criteria:

1.     Teaching related activities, i.e., domain knowledge;

2.     Participation in examination and evaluation; and

3.     Contribution to innovative teaching, new courses.

Direct Teaching Hours per week include the Lectures, Tutorials, Practicals, Project Supervision, Field Work etc.

A teacher seeking for promotion requires to obtain minimum API scores. However, minimum API score required by teachers from this category is different for different levels of promotion. Scores are determined by the screening cum evaluation committee/ selection committee on the basis of objectively verifiable records. In consonance with established academic and teaching traditions, and with a view to reinforcing a student-centric and caring approach the teachers are encouraged to work with students, beyond the structure of classroom teaching. Indicatively, this could entail mentoring, guiding and counselling students. In particular, teachers would be the best place to identify and address the needs of students who may be differently abled, or require assistance to improve their academic performance, or to overcome a disadvantage. There are no prescribed hours for such efforts, measured either in weeks or months, or in the context and calculation of the API scores, these are nevertheless important and significant activities that could be carried out by teachers.

Co-curricular activities are pivotal in Teaching and Learning Process of the College. The following co-curricular activities are organised in consonance with the UGC norms in maintaining standards in higher education:

1.     Student related Co-curricular activities:

i.               Remedial Classes, Carrier Counselling, Student Seminar, and other events;

ii.              Anti- ragging Campaign,

iii.            Cultural activities, Sports activities, NSS activities, etc.

2.     Contribution to Corporate life:

i.               Participation in Academic and Administrative Committees and responsibilities;

ii.              Shouldering administrative responsibility, such as Teacher/ Officer-in-Charge, Convenor of a Committee or similar other duties;

iii.            Participation in Board of Studies etc.

3.     Professional Development activities:

i.               Participation in Seminars, conferences, short term training courses, talks, lectures etc.

Teachers of this College engage in research and academic contribution. They publish their research papers in different journals of national and international repute and carry major and minor research projects funded by different statutory bodies.

Student Feedback is an integral part of the institutional and academic development of higher educational institutions and in fostering quality. Student feedback and teacher response plays a catalytic role towards improvement in teaching-learning and institutional development. Feedback from students on teaching, delivery, methodology and pedagogy is pivotal with a view to enhancing clarity of concepts, subject understanding and developing and deepening an interest in the academic discipline. Universities and Colleges should encourage teachers to assist students in providing constructive feedback on teaching-learning in order to enhance quality education and in responding to the needs of the students that the College is supposed to cater.

STUDENTS' CODE OF CONDUCT

Jhargram Raj College has got a well- defined Code of Conduct for the students. Students being an integral part of the teaching-learning process, the College takes care that they turn into morally and socially responsible National and Global citizens. It is mandatory for the students to follow this Code of Conduct both inside and outside the campus. This helps to maintain the strict discipline of the College as also the academic environment. Therefore, students admitted to the College are expected to abide by the rules and regulations laid down by the College. 

• Regular attendance in keeping with the stipulations of Vidyasagar University must be maintained. A candidate shall be considered as Collegiate if he/she attends 75% of lectures in any subject, and as non-Collegiate if attendance in any subject falls short of 75% but not below 60%. A candidate who has not attended at least 60% of lectures shall be considered dis-collegiate and shall be debarred from appearing at any examination. Further, students defaulting on regular payment of fees would be considered discontinued and names of such students would be removed from the College register. 
• Students must be respectful towards our National Heritage, National Flag and National Song. 
• Students must go through the Prospectus, departmental and students’ Notice Board as well as the college website regularly for information. 
• Ragging in any form is a punishable offence. It is strictly prohibited within the hostel as well as the College premises. The College strictly adheres to the UGC regulations on curbing the menace of ragging in Higher Education Institutions, [under Section 26(1) (g) of UGC Act, 1956; Order No. F.1-16/2007(CPP-II), dated 17th June, 2009]. In an attempt to prohibit, prevent and eliminate ragging, including any conduct by any student or students whether by words spoken or written or by an act, which has the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness a fresher or any other student, or indulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities by any student or students, which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in any fresher or any other student, or asking any student to do any act, which such student will not in ordinary course do and, which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame, or torment or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of such fresher or any other student, with or without an intent to derive a sadistic pleasure or showing off power, authority or superiority by a student over any fresher or any other student, the rules are followed very strictly. 
• After the completion of admission, a student is required to collect his / her identity card from the College office. Students are required to carry their identity card (bearing their photographs) while in the College. No student will be allowed to enter the College campus without identity card. 
• It is the responsibility of the students to keep the campus clean. Care should be taken to maintain the cleanliness of toilets. The College campus is a plastic-free zone. Littering is strictly forbidden and anyone found littering will have to pay a fine to be decided by the administration. 
• Students are not allowed to use cell phones and other electronic gadgets during class lectures and practical classes inside the classrooms / laboratories. Use of cell phones is strictly prohibited in the examination hall. 
• All students are expected to follow the attendance rules of the College as per directives of Vidyasagar University. If a student remains continuously absent for more than 10 days without prior permission or intimation, her name may be struck off from the college register. 
• Students of the College are expected to participate in college activities like Seminars, Workshops, Training programs, Certificate Courses etc. They should also be present during observation of Independence Day, Republic Day and other Commemorative events. Their active participation in college events like NSS programs, Sports, Fest and other cultural functions will be highly appreciated. 
• The students are strictly prohibited from undertaking or doing any activity not connected with the College without the prior permission of the authority. 

• No student shall collect money by the way of contribution for picnic, trip/visit to some place, get together or any other activity without the prior permission of the authority. 
• A student may not knowingly provide false information or make misrepresentation to any office. In addition, the forgery, alteration, or unauthorized possession or use of College documents, records, or instruments of identification, forged or fraudulent communications (paper or electronic mail) are prohibited. 
• Students must inform their guardians regarding Parent-Teacher Meetings when notified by the College/Department. 
• Students must take note that certain specific sections of the College campus are under CCTV surveillance. 
• Acts of indiscipline or serious offences may invite expulsion from the College.