Socio Economically Disadvantaged Groups Cell

The Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Group Cell (SEDGC) is responsible for providing academic, financial and counselling support to disadvantaged students, facilitating their integration and success in the college. It also ensures compliance with UGC guidelines by organizing awareness programmes, monitoring student progress and addressing their grievances to foster an inclusive campus environment regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds. The cell functions as a dedicated support system to ensure that students from underprivileged sections of society can thrive academically, socially, and personally.

Target Groups

Scheduled Castes (SC)
Scheduled Tribes (ST)
Other Backward Classes (OBC)
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)
Religious minorities & Linguistic Minorities
Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)
First-generation learners
Migrant and rural students & North East States

Objectives of SEDGs Cell:

To protect all the constitutional rights of the SEDGs students.
To ensure that the HEIs are inclusive, safe, and secure for the SEDGs students.
To provide socio-emotional and academic support and mentoring for the students belonging to the SEDGs through proper counselling and monitoring programme.
To ensure proper implementation and monitoring of orientation and bridge courses designed by the HEIs to benefit SEDGs students.
To ensure implementation of all such programme designed and developed by HEIs to increase the participation of SEDGs students in academic activities.
To ensure implementation of Government’s Policies, Including reservation Policies and various schemes, Programme, facilities and guidelines for SEDGs students.
To ensure that the HEIs develop appropriate outreach programme to help the SEDGs students to avail the various opportunities of educational/ academics programmes of HEIs
To ensure proper implementation of preventive measures and Laws against discrimination and atrocities, and for safeguards of students belonging to respective categories under SEDGs.
To circulate, publicize, facilitate and monitor the implementation of all UGC and Government guidelines and instruction issued from time to time in reference to SEDGs
To redress the grievances and complaints of the SEDGs students within 15 days through a Grievances Redressal Committee (GRC) without compromising the safety, privacy and dignity of the complainant.

Functions of SEDGs Cell:

To co-ordinate with other existing cells and statutory bodies of the HEIs and enable implementation of the existing schemes and provision, including scholarships and fellowship of the Govt. of India and respective States.
To ensure the implementation of orientation and bridge courses, earn while- learn schemes, and outreach programme designed and developed by HEIs for SEDGs.
To provide socio economics, academics and psychological support and mentoring for such students through proper counselling and mentoring programme.
To ensure sensitization of faculty, staff, counsellors and students on the SEDGs issues and their inclusion in all aspects of the HEIs.
To explore and generate funds from various sources like Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) and Alumni to provide more financial assistances and scholarships to SEDGs to mitigate opportunity costs and fees for pursuing higher education.
To coordinate with the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) to raise awareness about the implementation of various policies for inclusive and equitable quality higher education.
To work as a ‘Single Window’ for students belonging to SEDGs for their Grievances, basic needs, amenities, facilities, welfare measures, and Scholarships and Fellowships.
To upload and disseminate guidelines facilities, welfare and safety measures on HEIs portal and maintain such records to review and monitor amenities and basic facilities for a safe and secure environment for SEDGs
To circulate, publicize and facilitate existing welfare schemes like – Remedial, NET, entry into services.
To establish a team of counsellors, social workers, and faculty members to provide emotional and social support to SEDGs to adapt to the environment of the HEI.
To focus on overall personality and skill development, including professional and soft skills, so as to ensure enhancing the student employability.
To organize periodic meetings and to monitor the progress of various schemes and all the HEIs may prepare a database of such schemes for SEDGs.
To assess the needs of SEDGs and make necessary recommendations to the authorities of the HEIs.
To make faculty, staff, students, and service professionals aware of facilities available for SEDGs.
To sensitize all the students to bring an attitudinal change towards SEDGs to ensure participation of SEDGs in curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities in the HEIs.
To hold regular meetings with representatives of SEDG students to check their grievances and also meet with management/authorities of HEIs to facilitate discussion of the grievances of SEDG students and maintain the confidentiality of deliberations and data.
To review, monitor, and ensure disposal of all grievances within 15 days.
To inform all students during induction/counselling session about Zero- tolerance policy for any form of discrimination.

Composition:

Governance of SEDGs Cell:

Chairperson SEDGs Cell: Dr. Rajshree Trivedi
Senior Professor Member: Dr. Ravindra Katyayan
In-charge of Internal Complaint Committee Member: Dr. Cicilia Chettiar
Coordinator/Director of IQAC Member: Dr. Anuja Deshpande
SC/ST Representative Member: Dr. Prerna Ramteke
OBC Representative Member: Ms. Sheetal Sawant
Two Student Representatives belonging to SEDGs Members: Ms. Atika Tanvar (SYBA) Ms. Namrata Dhavse (SYBA)
Assistant Registrar/ Administrative Officer Member Secretary: Ms Aarti Mahdik

Guideline: CLICK HERE