In other countries it is calls by various names like Hazing in North America, Bizutage in France, Praxe in Portugal and other across the world.
Highlight of Discussion
1. Definition
2. Causes
3. Effects
4. Prevention
5. Punishment
1.Definition of Ragging:
Ragging is not a legal activity. As per University Grand Commission Definition of ragging constitutes one or any of the following acts:-
• Any conduct by any student or students whether by words spoken or written or by an act which has the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness a fresher or any other student.
• Indulging in rowdy or indiscipline activities by any student or students which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship, physical or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in any fresher or any other student.
• Asking any student to do any act which such student will not in the ordinary course do and which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame, or torment or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of such fresher or any other student.
• Any act by a senior student that prevents, disrupts or disturbs the regular academic activity of any other student or a fresher, Exploiting the services of a fresher or any other student for completing the academic tasks assigned to an individual or a group of students.
• Any act of financial extortion or forceful expenditure burden put on a fresher or any other student by students.
• Any act of physical abuse including all variants of it: sexual abuse, homosexual assaults, stripping, forcing obscene and lewd acts, gestures, causing bodily harm or any other danger to health or person.
• Any act or abuse by spoken words, emails, post, public insults which would also include deriving perverted pleasure, vicarious or sadistic thrill from actively or passively participating in the discomfiture to fresher or any other student.
• Any act that affects the mental health and self-confidence of a fresher or any other student.
• With or without an intent to derive a sadistic pleasure or showing off power, authority or superiority by a student over any fresher or any other student.
2. CAUSES OF RAGGING:
There are many reasons for ragging.
● Misuse of Power: Ragging is introduction of juniors with seniors. But a part of seniors take it like fun and joke. They take the advantage of experience and misuse the power.
● Unmindful Authority: some times the authority is not active for this case. They ignore this allegations and forget their duties. The culprits openly moving in campuss but no one taking action against them.
● Lack of Awareness: Ragging cause inappropriate Awareness in students. They not think about what will be the result. Even though death happens. The not care about the loss.
● Lack of infrastructure: Ragging can happen if the University doesn’t proper infrastructure for taking action against ragging.
3. EFFECTS OF RAGGING:
Ragging create so many problems like
■ Physical & Mental health issues: Victims of ragging can’t express their problems with other. Day by day it create trauma, anxiety, depression and even long psychological effects.
■ Drop-out & Suicide Rate: As the victim not express their position they feel unsafe. Sometimes they take some tough decisions like Drop-out or Suicide.
■ Impact on Academic Performance: Ragging disturbs students mind badly. It create problems to focus on their studies. That directly hamper their academic performance.
■ Reputation Damage: Sometimes ragging become the cause of losing reputations of individual or Institutions when the full incidents uncovered by media or legal activity.
■ Violation of Human Rights: Ragging violets individual’s rights of dignity, safety, self-confidence as it goes against freedom of speech.
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4.PROHIBITION PREVENTION OF RAGGING:
In the year 2001 Supreme Court of India banned ragging across India. 2006 Supreme Court of India directed HRD Ministry of Indian Government to form a panel which will suggest the guidelines against ragging.
As per the oder HRD Ministry of India Government appointed seven members panel which was leading R K Raghavan. It’s name was given R K Raghavan committee. The committee submit the report to the court along with a proposal to include ragging as a special section under Indian Penal Code.
In a judgment, 2009 on death case by ragging of Amon Kachoor, a medical student honorable Supreme Court ordered to all the educational institutions in India to strictly follow the anti ragging law. Under this law “If a student found guilty, he/she can be imprisoned for 3 years along with a fine.”
Following the court order the National Anti-ragging helpline was created by Indian Government to helps victims and take the action in case of ragging. Indian Anti ragging helpline was started his working since June, 2009.
Indian Penal Code
There are provisions in the IPC which can be used by a student to register an FIR in the nearest Police Station. These provisions are:
• 294 – Obscene acts and songs
• 323 – punishment for voluntarily causing hurt
• 324 – voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon or means
• 325 – punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt
• 326 – voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon
• 339 – Wrongful Restraint
• 340 – Wrongful Confinement
• 341 – Punishment for Wrongful Restraint
• 342 – Punishment for Wrongful Confinement
• 506 – Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder
UGC Regulations On Curbing The Menace Of Ragging In Higher Educational Institutions, 2009
Important Regulations
■ Publishing ragging is banned : The institutions are required to publish that the ragging is totally banned in the institution and anyone found doing/abetting ragging would be suitably punished.
■ Brochures/Application Form/Enrollment Form : The college brochures are required to mention these guidelines in full. The prospectus would include all directions of Supreme Court/Central and State Government as applicable. The application/enrollment form for admission will have an undertaking in English and Hindi and preferably one in regional language to be signed by parent/guardian. The school-leaving certificate should reflect the behavioral pattern of the student.
■ Affidavit of Student : A student during the admission process has to file an affidavit along with his parents/guardian’s signature, stating that he will not be ragging other students directly or indirectly.
■ Anti-Ragging Committee : Every institution shall constitute a committee to be known as the Anti-Ragging Committee. To be nominated and headed by the Head of the institution, and consisting of representatives of civil and police administration, local media, Non-Government Organizations involved in youth activities, representatives of faculty members, representatives of parents, representatives of students belonging to the freshers category as well as senior students, non-teaching staff; and shall have a diverse mix of membership in terms of levels as well as gender. It shall be the duty of the Anti-Ragging Committee to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Regulations as well as the provisions of any law for the time being in force concerning ragging. The College is required to submit to weekly reports on anti ragging status to the Vice Chancellor of the University.
■ Contact detail of Anti Ragging Helpline/Anti Ragging Committee/Anti Ragging Squad : Every fresh student admitted to the institution shall be given a printed leaflet detailing to whom he/she has to turn to for help and guidance for various purposes including addresses and telephone numbers, so as to enable the student to contact the concerned person at any time. Identity of informants of ragging incidents is fully protected.
■ Anti ragging squad : Anti ragging committee would also monitor and oversee the performance of the Anti-Ragging Squad. It shall be the duty of the Anti-Ragging Squad to make surprise raids on hostels, and other places vulnerable to incidents of, and having the potential of, ragging.
■ FIR : The guidelines lays down that on receipt of any information concerning any reported incident of ragging, the Head of institution shall immediately determine, if a case under the penal laws is made out and if so, either on his own or through a member of the Anti-Ragging Committee, proceed to file a First Information Report (FIR), within twenty four hours of receipt of such information.
■ Evaluation of Ragging : It lays down that The Anti-Ragging Committee of the institution shall take an appropriate decision, in regard to punishment or otherwise, depending on the facts of each incident of ragging and nature and gravity of the incident of ragging established in the recommendations of the Anti-Ragging Squad.
Others
Apart from the IPC and the UGC Regulations, there are other government bodies who have their own laws on ragging in their respective acts. For example the All India Council For Technical Education [AICTE] and the Medical Council of India have made their own regulations under their respective acts.
The AICTE has created “All India Council for Technical Education (Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Technical Institutions, Universities including Deemed to be Universities imparting technical education) Regulations 2009” under Section 23 and Section 10 of the AICTE Act, 1987.
Similarly, the Medical Council of India has made “Medical Council of India (Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges/Institutions) Regulations, 2009” under Section 33 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956.
5.Punishment for Participation in/or Abetment of Ragging :
• Cancellation of admission.
• Suspension from attending classes.
• Withholding/withdrawing scholarship/fellowship and other benefits.
• Debarring from appearing in any test/examination or other evaluation process.
• Withholding results.
• Debarring from representing the institution in any national or international meet,
• tournament, youth festival, etc.
• Suspension/expulsion from the hostel.
• Rustication from the institution for periods varying from 1 to 4 semesters or
• equivalent period.
• Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any
• other institution.
• 10 Fine up to Rs. 25,000/
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