Code of Conduct

New Pattern International School Code of Conduct :

The Management shall have right to introduce measures to improve efficiency and productivity, such as changes in workflow, work planning, work systems, procedures, automation, computerization, cutting down unnecessary and avoidable work as the management considers necessary.

The Management shall at its sole discretion may allot work/duties one department to another, provided his salary and benefits are not adversely affected. If employee is required for the time being, to do work of higher grade than his grade, he may be paid special allowance at the sole discretion of the Management. The need for officiating will be decided by the Management depending on the exigencies of work. The employees shall not refuse jobs entrusted to them by their superiors.

GENERAL:

• Staff is expected to lead by example and ensure that they are upholding The New Pattern International school philosophy.
• Staff is expected to be dressed in a presentable manner that is not provocative, disrespectful or offensive.
• Helmets made compulsory for NPIS staff. If coming by two wheeler without helmet staff will have to park the vehicle on the main road. If staff continue to ride two wheelers without helmet, penalty will be imposed on them. Type of penalty will be decided by school core committee and confiscation of the vehicle may be imposed.
• Habitual late coming and negligence of duty will not be permitted.
• Staff shall make or receive personal phone calls only during break time. Personal phone calls made from school phone are charged.
• Usage of mobile phones during teaching hours is not allowed. If there is an urgent call to be made or attended, permission can be taken from the respective Heads and the call can be made only in the staff room. If anyone is found violating the rule, the mobile phone will have to be submitted to the security person every morning for next 5 working days. Specially assigned staff whose position requires them to contact outside world are exempted from this.
• The internet facility is provided to update one's knowledge and keep abreast with the current development in the educational field. It should be used only for these reasons and not for any other personal requirements.
• Net surfing for personal accounts, banned sites etc strictly not allowed. If caught for the same severe penalty to be levied.
• If you need to surf the net for personal purpose, it can be accessed only in the office booth.
• The staff is responsible for their computer login password and need to be careful of the same.
• Sale of any of your services/ products to be done only after school hours. Collection of money too is restricted to after school hours (i.e. 2 pm)
• Smoking / tobacco chewing /consumption of alcohol is not allowed inside the School premises.
• Taking private tuitions of NPIS children without permission of school authorities is not allowed
• However, fine arts teachers are allowed to take private tuitions of NPI school children.
• Teaching and Non-Teaching staff shall not part away any information of the school to any outsider, institutions, schools and any other associates, etc.
• Non-Teaching staff including menial staff shall not take any part time jobs or take any assignment without the prior permission of the Principal /Manager/Director in writing.
• All Teaching and Non- Teaching staff including menial staff shall not take any membership in any political parties, unions, etc without the prior permission of the Principal /Manager/Director.
• Teaching and Non-Teaching staff shall follow the guidelines issued to them from time to time by the Principal /Manager/Director. In case the guidelines are not followed, the staff shall be liable for disciplinary action.
• An employee remaining absent for more than 30 days beyond the leave originally granted and or employee remaining absent without leave for a period exceeding 30 consecutive days shall be deemed to have abandoned the employment voluntarily.
• Asking for or accepting any contribution with the raising of funds of any kind or making any collection whether in cash or in kind, without the previous sanction of the SCC is not allowed.
• The staff should refrain from any kind of commission dealings with the School Suppliers.
• School admission forms not to be sold privately .If requested by a friend / relative to buy a form, staff can do so but only on the day the forms are officially sold and to hand over to the friend/relative at it's face value.
• Propagating through teaching lessons or otherwise communal or sectarian outlook or instigating or allowing any student to indulge in communal or sectarian activities is strictly not allowed.
• Refrain from talking about any issue or matter regarding school or having strong reactions in front of children.

Matters which will be strictly dealt with are:

• Browsing banned sites
• Taking out documents related to school and passing it on to other similar institutions.
• Embezzlement of funds or misappropriation of school property or theft or fraud.
• Mutilation / distortion of school records and property or using it for personal means.
• Possession in school premises of weapons, explosives, and other objectionable material.
• Indulging in any form of malpractice connected with school activities or examination.

TOWARDS COLLEAGUES:

• The staff must refrain from any kind of criticism and gossip about their colleagues within or out of school.
• No discrimination shall be made on the person's marital, social, financial status. There should not be any discrimination of caste/religion/gender .
• Zero Tolerance for Harassment: Maintain a work environment free of sexual harassment, whether physical, verbal or psychological. This policy also envisages zero tolerance of any other forms of harassment or vindictive behavior.
• Comments which hurt a person's sentiments and doubts his/hers integrity and sincerity will not be tolerated or accepted at all. It will be dealt with very strictly by the management.
• Respect this process and seek whole picture when in doubt.
• Do not air out lose comments that can create doubt, panic, rumor or unsettle the institutional process.
• Discriminating behavior towards colleagues will not be tolerated.

TOWARDS CHILDREN:

• Use of corporal punishment in any form or to any degree will not be accepted under any circumstances, for eg. No physical abuse should be used like slapping, pinching, pushing, and pulling.
• The Staff has responsibility for students to ensure the safety and well being at all times.
• Sharing information about a child with other members of staff has to be done only in professional forum for clinical purposes.
• Making sustained neglect in correcting class work and homework.
• By word or action , no child will be hurt emotionally, mentally and physically.
• No child should be criticized for not being able to cope up with the class-work or any other school related activity.
• The staff should report to the management immediately if they witness any kind of sexual/physical abuse of a child. The staff should also have the full courage to intervene and stop any person who is trying to sexually/physically abuse the child.
• No child should be left out in any school/group activity. Every child deserves a right to express himself/herself. If the teacher witnesses some kind of groupism in the class where a child is excluded deliberately by other children, she/he has to intervene and sort out matters and make the child feel emotionally secure.
• A child should not be teased by any other child/adult.
• The child's personal life and family matters should not be discussed at all by the staff.
• The staff should refrain from any kind of discrimination against any student on the grounds of caste, creed language, accent, place of origin, social and cultural background, class, clothes , physical appearance.
• The staff shall not enter into any monitory transactions with any student / parent, nor accept any gifts from them, nor shall he/she exploit his influence for personal ends, nor shall he/she conduct his/her personal matters in such a manner that he/she has to incur a debt beyond his/her means to repay.
• Will not Sell objects / articles in the school premises to children.

TOWARDS PARENTS:

• Parents should be treated with dignity and respect in words, actions and body language. Their queries should be answered with patience and understanding by any staff around irrespective of their domain.
• The staff must refrain from any kind of criticism or gossip about the parents. If any such gossip is happening, it should be brought to the notice of the management.
• The staff must bring to the management's notice if there is some kind of unreasonable demand on the parent's part, instead of arguing with the parents.
• If parents come with query or demand, do acknowledge and if not clear, do ask in School and get back to the Parent.
• Be specific in giving any word of advice to the parents about the child. The Parent must be taken into confidence before giving the advice.
• The staff is not allowed to meet any parent during school hours. Give prior appointment and then meet the parents after the children have left for the day. In emergency , can meet with the permission of the management.
• Unless urgent, staff should not attend phone calls made by parents during school hours. Giving personal telephone number to parents should be avoided as far as possible, unless there is an exceptional problem and it should be done with the knowledge of the management.
• Staff should avoid discussing school matters to Parents in a social setting.
• Refrain from commenting on color, name, surname, physical appearance, choices in life, clothes, class, economic status, language, accent, educational background and ability of parent/parents.

FOR NPIS STAFF WHO ARE ALSO PARENTS :

• Be respectful to your child's teacher.
• Respect your colleague's expertise in his/her subject areas.
• Please attend your child's Open days/PTCS/Report card days at the time allotted to you.
• If your child is absent, collect the necessary books from the class teacher after school hours i.e. after 1:30 p.m. for Primary.
• Do not ask questions about your child's progress/performance to the teachers in corridors, lunch room, or during class hours. Reserve them for the PTCS and open days.
• If your child comes to you with a complaint during school hours, please ask him/her to go to his/her class teacher. The class teacher is the appropriate person to deal with any issue during school hours. Don't try to solve it personally as then the child will always turn to you, which will be a hindrance in his/her growth and your work.
• If you have some genuine concerns and issues with your child's teacher/teachers please address it to the Management. Please do not make a personal attack on the teacher.
• Remember that during School Hours, you are a teacher not only to your own child but also to several other children. So please treat everyone fairly and equally

Misconduct

Without prejudice to the generality of the term 'misconduct' the following acts of omission and commission shall be treated as misconduct.
 

• Willful insubordination or disobedience, whether or not in combination with another, of any lawful and reasonable order of a superior;
• Going on strike or abetting, inciting, instigating or acting in furtherance thereof;
• Willful slowing down in performance of work, or abatement or instigation thereof;
• Theft, fraud or dishonest in connection with the schools' business or property or the theft or property of another employee within the premises of the establishment;
• Taking or giving bribes or any illegal gratification;
• Habitual absence without leave, or absence without leave for more than ten consecutive days or overstaying the sanctioned leave without sufficient grounds or proper or satisfactory explanation;
• Late attendance on more than three occasions within a month;
• Habitual breach of any Standing Order guidelines/code of conduct or any law applicable to the school or any rules made there under;
• Collection without the permission of the Manager/Director/Principal of any money within the premises of the school except as sanctioned by any law for the time being in force;
• Engaging in trade within the premises of the school;
• Drunkenness, riotous, disorderly or indecent behavior on the premises of the school;
• Commission of any act subversive of discipline or good behavior on the premises of the school;
• Habitual neglect of work, or gross or habitual negligence;
• Habitual breach of any rules or instruction for the maintenance and running of any department, or the maintenance of the cleanliness of any portion of the school;
• Willful damage to work in process or to any property of the school;
• Holding meeting inside the premises of the school without the previous permission of the Manager/Director/Principal;
• Disclosing to any unauthorized person any information in regard to the processes of the school which may come into the possession of the staff in the course of his work;
• Gambling within the premises of the school
• Smoking or spitting on the premises of the school where it is prohibited by the Management;
• Failure to observe safety instructions notified by the Management or interference with any safety device or equipment installed within the School;
• Distributing or exhibiting within the premises of the school hand-bills, pamphlets, posters, and such other things or causing to be displayed by means of signs or writing or other visible representation on any matter without previous sanction of the Manager/Director/Principal;
• Refusal to accept a charge-sheet, order or other communication served in accordance with the Rules;
• Breach of the terms and conditions of service laid down by or under these rules;
• Violation of the Code of Conduct; and
• Moral turpitude shall include the following acts namely:

  o   Immodest or immoral behavior with a female or male student or employee;
  o   Any other act of similar nature;
  o   Conviction by any court of law in India, of any offence, involving moral turpitude;

• Willful negligence of duty shall include the following acts, namely:

  o   Dereliction in, or failure to discharge any of the duties prescribed by Management and or Principal;
  o   Habitual absence from duty without previous permission;
  o   Any other act of similar nature;

• Incompetence includes the following acts namely:

  o   Failure to keep up academic progress and up to date knowledge in spite of repeated instructions in that behalf;
  o   Failure to properly complete the teaching of the syllabus determined for the smester/year within the stipulated periods;
  o   Any other act of similar nature;;

• Manifestation of temper, in any manner, while dealing with students, staff, parents, outsiders and the Management is liable to be treated as an act of serious misconduct;
• Abstaining from duty for more than 10 days without prior sanction of leave or staying more than 3 days beyond the sanctioned leave without permission.

Suspension

1. The Management may suspend employee pending enquiry in the following cases:

• Any serious misconduct committed by an employee
• Any criminal case against an employee which under investigation or under trial
• An employee who has been detained in custody by competent authority and custody in more than 48 hours
• Any employee who is absent more than 30 days continuously without prior sanction of leave

2. Subsistence Allowance:
Where an employee is suspended by the Management pending investigation or inquiry into complaints or charges of misconduct except in case of under the above mentioned clause (c), Management shall pay such employee subsistence allowance as follows:

• At the rate of 50% of the salary (basic pay + D.A. ) for first ninety days of suspension and
• At the rate of 75% of the salary (Basic + D.A.) for the remaining period of suspension if the delay in completion of proceedings against such employees is not directly attributable to the conduct of such employee.

Treatment of the Period of Suspension
When an employee under suspension is reinstated, the School may grant to him the following pay and allowances for the period of suspension:-

• If the employee is exonerated and not awarded any of the penalties, he shall be given full pay and allowances which he would have been entitled if he had not been suspended, less the subsistence allowance already paid to him, and
• If otherwise, such proportion of pay and allowances as the Management may prescribe.

Procedure for Penalty

1. Classification of Penalties
The school managing committee may place an employee under disciplinary action for good and sufficient reason including the breach of one or more of the provisions of the Code of Conduct. The following penalties may be imposed upon the employee:

A. Minor Penalties:

• Reprimand
• Warning
• Censure
• With holding of increment of Pay- not exceeding one year.
• Recovery from Pay or such other amount as may be due from him/her for the whole or part of any pecuniary loss caused to the school by negligence or breach of orders.
• Suspension up to fifteen days.
• Reduction or demotion in lower salary grade

B. Major Penalty:

• Reduction in salary grade - back to basic pay in salary.
• Removal from Service.

2. Procedure for imposing penalty

If any employee commits misconduct or violates the code of conduct, the concerned employees shall be issued show cause notice which will give details of misconduct and concerned employees shall be given seven days time from the date of receipt of Show Cause Notice to submit the explanation.
In case the explanation is not found to be satisfactory and misconduct is not of serious nature then minor penalty as mentioned in the above para “A” may be imposed by issuing the order in writing.
In case explanation is not found to be satisfactory and misconduct is of serious nature which warrants the termination of the employee, then the following procedures shall be followed:

• Domestic enquiry will be held.
• Independent Enquiry Officer should be appointed by the School Committee.
• The name of Enquiry Officer shall be intimated to the concerned employee in writing.
• Employee will be entitled to appoint his/her colleague to defend his/her case. No outsider shall be allowed to represent the employee. He/she will also be entitled to produce witnesses or any other documents, etc.
• Management will also appoint its representative to represent the case before the Enquiry Officer.
• During the Enquiry the concerned employee shall be entitled to see all the documents provided by Management Representatives and can also have copy of those documents and shall be also entitled to cross examine the witnesses produced by Management.
• A copy of the enquiry report shall be furnished to the concerned employee to submit his comment if any to the Management. The concerned employees will submit his/her comments to the Management within ten days from the date of receipt of the Enquiry Report.
• Management will examine the enquiry report after the receipt of the comments from the concerned employees. In case no comments are received within the stipulated period from the concerned employees, the Management will take the decision after examining the enquiry report.
• Enquiry Officer will give sufficient opportunity to the concerned employee to present hi/her case. In case the concerned employee does not attend the enquiry inspite of giving an opportunity, the Enquiry Officer can prepare enquiry report on the basis of available information/documents presented by Management during course of enquiry.
• Orders of punishment will be issued in writing.

For ALL NPIS Staff-Teaching, Visiting, Administration, and Service staff

The following list clearly states behavior that crosses the line from professional and caring, into personal and inappropriate. Such behavior will NOT be tolerated. This applies to your behavior towards both, girls and boys.

STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES :-

• Duty to report to Principal, in writing, if a staff member observes any adult engaging in the inappropriate behaviors.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Refrain from making comments, joke or trivializing the issue.
• Communicate concerns directly only to your principal.

Any staff or member associated with NPIS who violates this policy by engaging in inappropriate conduct listed above that directly or indirectly crosses moral/ethical/legal boundaries, causes intimidation, emotional or physical harm to another student or staff member will be subject to strict disciplinary action.

Right to Appeal Before School Tribunal......

All the permanent employee who are aggrieved by the order of Management regarding termination of their services may file an appeal to the Katihar Judiciary only.

Service of Orders, Notices, Etc.

Every order, notice and other process made or issued under these Rules shall be served in person on the employee concerned or communicated to him/her by Registered AD/Courier/post at his last known address with the School. If the employee refuses to accept a communication addressed to him/her, a copy of the same will be put up on the School Notice Board after recording the refusal in the presence of 2 (two) witnesses and the same shall be deemed to be effective service.

Interpretation

• The Chairman of the Management may at its discretion, issue orders for the interpretation of these Rules, if considered necessary.
• Any question of doubt in the interpretation of the Rules should be referred to the Chairman or Management for clarification whose decision shall be final and binding on all employees.
• That the provision of these Rules shall apply conjointly and in conjunction with the service agreement/letter of appointment and code or conduct etc.

Amendments

The School may amend, modify, delete or add to these Rules, through Resolutions/officer orders/circulars from time to time and all such amendments, modifications or additions shall take effect from the date as stated therein and shall be binding on all employees.