Powers of the PB & Procedures

  1. The Proctoral Board (PB) is authorized to take up cases suo-moto. However, complainants will be required to report any of the matters mentioned above within three days of the occurrence of the incident. The student/s charged will be notified within four working days of the charge against him/her. It will be the responsibility of the student/s thus charged to submit in writing his/her defence within two working days the PB. If the PB does not receive a defence within two working days, it will take an exparte decision on the charge.

  2. However, the PB may relax the timeframes mentioned above based on the merit of the case in question.

  3. Under normal circumstances the PB shall issue a show-cause notice within four working days of receiving a complaint calling for explanation within two working days. If the explanation is not received within two working days or in the further time as may be granted, the PB may, by powers vested in it, record hearings from the other side and/ or itself conduct an enquiry or may entrust the process of enquiry including framing of charges and conducting the actual inquiry to any other official of the university. However, if the situation so demands, the PB may convene an emergency meeting and call those concerned to depose before it immediately.

  4. Evidence to the PB shall normally be presented orally. The student charged may be required to provide written/material evidence if the PB so demands.

  5. It shall be the responsibility of the student charged and the complainant to arrange for their respective witnesses to give oral evidence or to submit any written statements/material evidence in their defence. A witness giving oral evidence may be cross-examined. A witness not available for cross-examination may submit evidence in writing. The PB shall not consider evidence from persons who are not prepared to have their names revealed to the PB. The names of persons appearing as evidence shall be kept confidential.

  6. The PB shall have the power to determine the order of proceedings and to exclude any material which appears irrelevant or repetitive or even seek clarification on oral/written submissions/ material evidence.

  7. The student charged will be invited to be present with a representative (optinally) whenever oral evidence is being heard. Non-attendance of the student charged or his/her representative shall not bar the PB from proceeding. The PB may at its discretion adjourn in order to enable the student charged or the representative to be present.

  8. The PB may adjourn a hearing in order to require a witness to attend for cross-examination. Where a witness who, in the opinion of the PB, is a vital witness, fails to attend, the PB may, at its discretion, postpone its deliberations or even continue with its proceedings. The PB may also adjourn/ proceed with a case where it is of the opinion that its proceedings are being impeded by any circumstance beyond its control.

  9. The PB shall meet to consider an adjourned case, as soon as it is feasible and not later than 15 days after the adjournment, although the case may not be determined at the resumed meeting. Where it is not reasonably practicable for the same members to attend the PB meeting reconvened to hear an adjourned case, it may co-opt one or two additional members to form the quorum.

  10. The PB is authorized to invite members where it deems necessary. However, the members so invited shall not have voting rights.

  11. Only members of the PB will be present when it is reaching a decision on a case.

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