When an organisation names its Internal Committee, it is asking a handful of colleagues to do something extraordinary. They must hear a complaint about a co-worker, weigh evidence, question witnesses and recommend action that can end a career. Under Section 11(3) of the POSH Act, they do this with the same powers as a civil court for summoning people, examining them on oath and requiring documents.
Most IC members have never done anything like it before. That is why the law asks for more than awareness. Section 19(c) requires orientation programmes for IC members, and Rule 13 of the POSH Rules, 2013 adds capacity-building and skill-building programmes. Awareness training tells employees their rights. IC training equips a small group to deliver justice.
Awareness training vs IC training
| Employee awareness training | Internal Committee training | |
|---|---|---|
| Who attends | All employees, managers, leadership | Presiding Officer, internal members, external member |
| Goal | Prevent harassment and encourage reporting | Conduct lawful, fair, defensible inquiries |
| Depth | Concepts, scenarios, process overview | Procedure, evidence, natural justice, report writing |
| Method | Workshop or e-learning | Intensive workshop with mock inquiries |
What IC training should cover
1. Constitution and its validity. Members must know the composition rules in Section 4: a senior woman as Presiding Officer, at least two employee members, one external member from an NGO or association, at least half the members women, and a term of no more than three years. An improperly constituted IC can see its entire inquiry set aside.
2. Receiving a complaint. This covers the written complaint, helping a complainant who cannot write it down, the time limits in Section 9, and complaints filed on someone's behalf.
3. Procedure under Rule 7. The complaint goes to the respondent within seven working days, and the respondent replies within ten. There must be a quorum of at least three members, including the Presiding Officer. Legal practitioners may not represent either party. The inquiry must be completed within 90 days.
4. Conciliation and interim relief. Members should understand when conciliation under Section 10 is appropriate, and that it cannot rest on a monetary settlement. They should also know the interim measures available during an inquiry under Section 12, such as a transfer or leave.
5. Natural justice in practice. Each side must hear the other's evidence and have a fair chance to respond. Members must keep bias and conflicts of interest out, and keep a clean record of every step.
6. Evidence and questioning. This means assessing digital evidence such as chats and emails, interviewing with sensitivity to trauma, and avoiding questions that blame or humiliate.
7. Writing the report. Findings must be reasoned and tied to evidence. The report goes to the employer within ten days of completing the inquiry, and the employer must act within 60 days (Section 13).
8. Malicious complaints. Section 14 deals with false or malicious complaints. It also says that being unable to prove a complaint does not, by itself, make it malicious. IC members must get this distinction right.
9. Confidentiality. Section 16 prohibits disclosure of the identities and contents of proceedings. Members should know the practical safeguards: sealed files, restricted email and careful minutes.
10. Jurisdiction. In December 2025, the Supreme Court held in Dr. Sohail Malik that the IC at the aggrieved woman's workplace can inquire into a complaint even when the respondent works for a different employer. ICs at client-facing, multi-employer and shared workplaces need to understand what this means for them.
Why mock inquiries matter
No IC member should run a first inquiry on a real case. A good programme runs at least one full mock inquiry, from complaint to report, using a realistic Indian scenario. Members practise the hardest moments: the first conversation with a distressed complainant, a hostile respondent, a reluctant witness.
The external member
The external member often brings the deepest experience and the most independence. Organisations should still include them in training, so that the whole committee shares one understanding of procedure. Led by an advocate and trained POSH expert, Jijiwisha Society offers external member services, and already serves as the external member for many government bodies and private organisations.