Equal Opportunity Policy (MGI & RTI)

Equal Opportunity Policy

1. Introduction

The Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI) and the Rabindranath Tagore Institute (RTI) are committed to ensuring that both Institutes make full use of the talents, skills, experience, competence, desire and willingness to work of all their staff members and the different cultural perspectives available in a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-lingual society, where people feel they are respected and valued, and can achieve their potential regardless of their status, that is, their age, caste, colour, creed, ethnic origin, impairment, marital status, place of origin, political opinion, race, sex or sexual orientation.

The MGI and the RTI will follow the recommendations of the Equal Opportunities Commission as set forth in its Guidelines on Application of an Equal Opportunity Policy at Work (http://eoc.govmu.org) in all their employment policies, procedures and practices.

Aims of Policy

The aims of this Policy are to ensure that:

• no one receives less favourable treatment, by reason of his or her age, caste, colour, creed, ethnic origin, impairment, marital status, place of origin, political opinion, race, sex or sexual orientation, or is disadvantaged by any conditions, requirements, provisions, criteria, procedures or practices that cannot be justified on any or more of the above-mentioned grounds, or victimised for taking action against the employer for discrimination or for assisting a fellow employee in taking such an action;

• opportunities for employment, training and promotion are open to all candidates irrespective of their status, that is, their age, colour, creed, ethnic origin, impairment, marital status, place of origin, political opinion, race, sex or sexual orientation;

• Selection for employment, promotion and access to benefits, facilities and services, will be fair and equitable, and based solely on merit and not on the status of the employees or prospective employees, that is, age, caste, colour, creed, ethnic origin, impairment, marital status, place of origin, political opinion, race, sex or sexual orientation.

Application of Policy

This Policy applies to all aspects of employment, from recruitment to the last date, or termination, of employment.

Implementation of Policy

The MGI and RTI will take the following steps to put the Policy into practice and implement it:

• The Director-General (MGI & RTI), all Directors, Heads of Schools/Departments/Sections will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Policy.

• The Policy will be communicated to all employees and job applicants, and will be placed on the Institutes’ website.

• All employees will officially be apprised of the Policy, on their rights and responsibilities under the Policy, and on how the Policy will affect the way they carry out their duties and also what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable conduct in the Institutes.

• Heads of Schools/Departments/Sections and employees in key decision-making areas will be trained on the discriminatory effects that certain provisions, practices, requirements, conditions and criteria can have on employees, and the importance of being able to justify decisions to apply them.

• The effectiveness of the Policy will be monitored regularly. A report on progress will be produced each year, and published via the website, the staff newsletter (if any) notice boards, and the Annual Report.

Recruitment, Selection and Promotion

1. The MGI and RTI are equal opportunity employers.

2. Opportunities for employment will be advertised widely, internally and/or externally, as appropriate, and, save where a genuine occupational requirement or statutory exception applies, all applicants will be welcomed, irrespective of their status, that is, their age, caste, colour, creed, ethnic origin, impairment, marital status, place of origin, political opinion, race, sex or sexual orientation.

3. All employees will be encouraged to develop their skills and qualifications, and to benefit from promotion and development opportunities in the MGI and RTI.

4. Employees will, as far as is practically possible, be provided with opportunities to develop their skills and gather experience in different departments of the MGI and RTI through transfer exercises, based on policies where applicable.

5. Requirements, conditions, provisions, criteria and practices as appropriate will be reviewed, in the light of the monitoring results, and revised, if they are found to, or might, discriminate.

 Training

Selection criteria will be entirely related to the job or training opportunity and will be based on merit.

Discipline & Grievances

1. Disciplinary action will be initiated against any officer as per the relevant provisions of the law and the MGI and RTI Disciplinary Procedures, for breach of rules and regulations or any provisions of the law, or for misconduct or unsatisfactory service, irrespective of status, that is, age, caste, colour, creed, ethnic origin, impairment, marital status, place of origin, political opinion, race, sex or sexual orientation.

2. Staff members who feel that they have been subject to discrimination/victimisation/harassment should report the matter to their Immediate Supervisor/s. In the event that the issue has not been settled at the level of Immediate Supervisor or if the Immediate Supervisor is involved, the employee may address the issue to the Head of Section/Department.  In the event the issue has not been settled at the level of the Head of Section/Department or the Head of Section/Department is involved, then the matter should be reported directly to the Director (MGI), Director (Schooling), Director (RTI) or their representative or the Registrar’s Office, as appropriate.

3. Complaints about discrimination in the course of employment will be regarded seriously, and may result in disciplinary sanctions, and even dismissal.

4. Grievances, disciplinary action, performance assessment, and termination of employment, for whatever reason, will also be monitored.

General Information

1. This Policy has been endorsed by the Chairman of the MGI and RTI Council and has the full support of the MGI and RTI Council and the Management.

2. The Policy was approved on 28 November 2018, following consultation with Heads of Schools/Departments/Sections and Staff Associations. Modifications, if any, to the Policy, will be made in consultation with Heads of Schools/Departments/Sections and Staff Associations.

3. Overall responsibility for the effectiveness of this Policy lies with the Director-General (MGI & RTI).

4. All staff are responsible for familiarising themselves with this Policy. Heads of Schools/Departments/Sections must also make sure that their employees know about, and follow, the Policy.

For further information, please contact the office of the Director General (MGI & RTI) by phone on 403 2001 or through email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..