Grievance Redressal Committee

Scope of Grievance Redress System for Learner

VITOL maintains a Grievance Redressal System and Procedure, which is made available on the portal and updated whenever necessary. An online facility is provided for learners to submit grievances and monitor their resolution status. The effectiveness of the Grievance Redressal Procedures is periodically monitored, assessed, and reviewed by VITOL.

Guidelines and Standards for the Grievance Redress System

1. The policy shall be neutral, transparent, and easy to comprehend.
2. Defined timelines shall be established for every stage of the grievance process.
3. The policy shall be accessible on the portal for learners to read and reference at any time.
4. Learners with disabilities shall be provided the policy in suitable formats, and appropriate provisions shall be incorporated in the policy document accordingly.
5. All authorities involved in grievance redressal shall handle and examine the facts in a fair and impartial manner.
6. VITOL shall aim to resolve grievances promptly so as to minimize any disruption to the learner's academic progress.
7. A structured communication and escalation mechanism shall be maintained and operated through the designated online software application.
8. VITOL shall ensure the confidentiality of the complainant to the extent possible. Support officers shall be available to assist learners in submitting grievances through the portal.
9. A learner shall have the option to withdraw a complaint at any stage of the process without prejudice, and shall be kept regularly informed of the status of their query or grievance on a priority basis.

Rights and Responsibilities of Learner

10. Every learner holds the right to raise a complaint concerning any aspect of their learning journey, including but not limited to programme quality, learning materials, learner support and guidance, teaching methodology, and assessment.
11. Complaints may be submitted directly to VITOL, either by an individual learner or collectively by a group of learners.
12. The learner shall file a formal complaint in the format prescribed by VITOL, expressing dissatisfaction with a service provided, the absence of a service, or inadequate service quality. The complaint must be relevant to what the learner was entitled to receive.

Responsibilities of VITOL

13. VITOL shall function in accordance with the principles of transparency and collaborative engagement.
14. VITOL is committed to the continuous enhancement of its services. Upon receipt of any grievance, a thorough investigation shall be conducted and appropriate improvements shall be implemented.
15. VITOL is accountable for maintaining privacy and confidentiality, except in cases where disclosure becomes necessary for the resolution of the matter.
16. Each grievance must include a clear statement of the reasons for dissatisfaction along with the expected remedy. The learner shall also provide the Online Grievance Registration Number generated at the time of complaint submission.
17. The Head of the concerned School/Department/Centre at VIT shall investigate the complaint or direct it to the appropriate person, body, committee, or department as deemed fit.
18. It is the responsibility of the Head of School/Department/Centre to oversee the progress of the complaint and ensure its timely resolution.
19. The concerned Head of School/Department/Centre shall communicate the decision and action taken in writing via letters or email through offline or online channels, along with the reasoning behind the decision.

Complaint Handling Mechanism

The Online Complaint Handling Mechanism enables learners to lodge complaints through an interactive web portal and track their resolution status. VITOL shall take the following actions:

20. VITOL shall adhere to the Complaint Handling Mechanism guidelines issued by UGC and the relevant statutory bodies of VIT.
21. All information and directives issued by the Commission or statutory bodies pertaining to the Complaint Handling Mechanism shall be uploaded on the VITOL website.
22. Learners enrolled in online programmes shall be duly informed about the Complaint Handling Mechanism.
23. A dedicated link titled 'Complaint Handling Mechanism' shall be displayed on the homepage of the website to ensure visibility and awareness among all stakeholders.
24. VITOL shall comply with all directives issued by the Commission to ensure timely and equitable resolution of complaints raised by learners.

If a grievance submitted by a learner via the LMS Ticketing System, and subsequently escalated to the concerned Head of Department (HoD) and the VITOL Administration, remains unresolved within a reasonable timeframe, the learner may escalate the matter further to the VIT Student Grievance Redressal Committee (SGRC).

Escalation to the VIT Student Grievance Redressal Committee (SGRC) shall only be permitted with verifiable documented evidence of prior communication and must be raised strictly within the permissible timeline, depending on the nature of the grievance. Grievances submitted after an unreasonable delay including, but not limited to, post-semester completion, post-examination, or post-declaration of results shall not be entertained.

Please note that any grievance submitted directly to the Grievance Committee without documented proof of prior escalation through the LMS Ticketing System, the concerned Head of Department (HoD), and the VITOL Administration shall be subject to rejection and may not be considered by the committee.