Definition: Ragging is a form of abuse on newcomers to educational institutions. It is almost similar to the Western form, known as hazing, but is commonly much more severe.
Some senior students force the unorganized newcomers to undergo several forms of mental, physical and sexual abuses. The juniors are usually too frightened to resist their organized group of tormentors.
How do I Report Ragging?
* Contact the Anti-Ragging Committee, Anti-ragging squads of the institution, Hostel-Warden or the Head of the Institution.
* Institutions are obliged to permit use of communication facilities (landline and mobile phones) for seeking help..
* If you are not satisfied with the enquiry conducted by the institution, lodge a First Information Report (FIR) with the local police and complaint with the civil authorities.
* Institutions are in any case required to file FIR if your parents or you are dissatisfied with the action taken against those who ‘rag’ .
* Your complaint can be oral or written, and would be treated by the authorities in strict confidence.
Victims' Corner : Recourses Available & Reporting Your Case
It is very important that the victims of ragging communicate or share their problems with their peers, family, heads of institutions, NGO’s or other authorities who may help them in this regard. The evil of ragging is nurturing as many events go unreported. What we see is only a tip of the iceberg. Communication and naming the perpetrators ensures that, if you choose to pursue legal action, there would be other witnesses to affirm your claim. It is also important that you communicate via emails and letters to your family naming the perpetrators and stating the tasks you are required to perform and the impact the same has upon you.
In any case, the victims can report the incidents to any of the following:
a) College Authority: The victim shall immediately report the incidence of ragging to the college authorities, viz. The Dean, Registrar, Proctor, to any faculty, who is a part of the anti-ragging committee, or member of anti ragging squad that may exist in college/university. If you don’t wish to be named i.e. want to maintain anonymity then you must make request for the same.
b) University Grants Commission: If you are not satisfied by the action taken by the college authorities or if the college fails to take any action at all or if you do not want to report the matter to college authorities for whatever reason, then you may contact the UGC directly, by calling on UGC’s toll free helpline 1800-180-5522 or you may email them at helpline@antiragging.net .
c) Police: You may report the incident of ragging by way of a FIR (first information report) with the nearest police station, if you feel that a serious offence has been committed. For example, any simple or grievous injury to life or limb, sexual molestation, etc. You could go with a complaint in writing and request the concerned officer to lodge a FIR on the basis of the same. He would register FIR u/s 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure if he thinks, on the basis of your complaint, it is a case involving a cognizable offence. Otherwise, he will register your complaint under section 155 of the Code of Criminal Procedure if he thinks, on the basis of your complaint, that it is a case involving a non cognizable offence. In case of non cognizable offence, where the police officer can not arrest without warrant, he would direct you to the magistrate. If the officer refuses to do the register FIR where cognizable offence is committed, you should contact the Station House officer (SHO) of the concerned police station. If he/she refuses to do the same, you could contact the area magistrate to take cognizance of your complaint.
d) NGO (SAVE): If you need any help with respect to above said options, or if you want us to exercise these options on your behalf, or if you seek any kind of legal/medical/psychological consultation then you may approach an anti ragging NGO like SAVE (Society Against Violence in Education)” by mailing us at mail[AT]no2ragging.org or by calling us on the numbers provided in the “Contact us” section. We at SAVE, work for people who have been victims or witnesses of ragging & try to make sure that their grievance is resolved in shortest possible time.
Links related to antiragging campaign are: www.no2ragging.org, www.noragging.com
The Legal Definition of Ragging
Ragging' means the doing of any act which causes, or is likely to cause any physical, psychological or physiological harm of apprehension or shame or embarrassment to a student, and includes– (a) teasing or abusing of playing Practical joke on, or causing hurt to any student. or (b) asking any student to do any act, or perform any thing, which he/she would not, in the ordinary course, be willing to do or perform."
The Supreme Court of India Judgement
Laws Against Ragging
Kerala
1998: The Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Bill was passed by the Kerela government in the state assembly. The anti-ragging Act of Kerala government defines ragging as 'teasing, abusing, playing practical jokes or causing hurt or asking student to do an act which he is unwilling to do.' It further said, Students found ragging directly or indirectly or abetting within or without educational institution are liable for imprisonment for a term which may extend upto two years with a fine which may be upto Rs 10,000. Depending upon the severity of the case, the guilty can be either suspended or dismissed and can also be debarred from gaining admission in any institution for five years.
Maharashtra
1999: The Maharashtra government also passed Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999. Some excerpts from it are as follows:
2. (c) Ragging means display of disorderly conduct, doing of any act which causes or is likely to cause physical or psychological harm or raise apprehension or fear or shame or embarrassment to a student in any educational institution. and includes:
i) teasing, abusing, threatening or playing practical jokes on, or causing hurt to such student ; or
ii) asking a student to do any act or perform something which such student will not in the ordinary course, willingly, do.
3. Ragging within or outside of any educational institution is prohibited.
4. Whoever directly or indirectly commits, participates in, abets or propagates ragging within or outside any educational institution, shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years and shall also be liable to a fine which may extend to Rs.10,000.
5. Any student convicted of an offence under section 4 shall be dismissed from the educational institution and such student shall not be admitted in any other educational institution for a period of five years from the date of order of such dismissal
6. Whenever any student or, as the case may be, the parent or guardian, or a teacher of an educational institution complains, in writing, of ragging to the head of the educational institution, the head of that educational institution shall, without prejudice to the foregoing provisions, within seven days of the receipt of the complaint, enquire into the complaint, enquire into the matter mentioned in the complaint and if, prima facie, it is found true, suspend the student who is accused of the offence, and shall immediately forward the complaint to the police station having jurisdiction over the area ....... for further action.
7. If the head of the educational institution fails or neglects to take action in the manner specified in section 6 when a complaint of ragging is made, such person shall be deemed to have abetted the offence of ragging and shall, on conviction, be punished as provided for in section 4.
Karnataka
The circular "Prohibition of ragging in colleges and hostels'' , was issued by the Chief Secretary of the state, Mr. B.K. Bhattacharya, on August 8, 2000. It incorporated the circulars issued by the State Government in January 1997 and September 1999, one by the Director-General of Police in February 1997 and three by the Union Government (Ministry of Human Resource Development). Major guidelines were as follows:
* The circular holds the principals of colleges and wardens of hostels responsible if cases of ragging are reported from their institutions .
* In extreme cases, the institutions concerned may be disaffiliated from the university or the academic body concerned, the University Grants Commission and the All-India Council of Technical Education.
* The circular directs institutions to set up review committees headed by the principal that hold periodical meetings on taking effective steps to bring down the menace. The jurisdictional Inspector or Sub-Inspector of police will be a member of the committee, as also two representatives of senior students. Institutions have also been instructed to constitute vigilance squads as a precautionary step.
* The penalty for ragging is one year's imprisonment and/or a fine of Rs. 2,000. The guilty students are also liable to be expelled or rusticated from the institutions.
West Bengal
The West Bengal government passed the Prohibition of Ragging in Educational Institutions Bill in the year 2000. With the new resolution, ragging will be liable to a fine of Rs 5000 or two years of rigorous imprisonment or both. Offenders may also be expelled from their institutions without any scope for re-admittance.
Gujarat
The government of the state of Gujarat appointed a three member panel under the chairmanship of the then M S University Vice-Chancellor Anil Kane. Other members of the panel were Sardar Vallabh University V-C V H Patel and Saurashtra University V-C Kanubhai Mavani. The aim of this panel was to advise the governemnt to help enact an Act on the lines of the Anti-Ragging Act in the state of Maharashtra.
source from:http://www.muthoot.com/antiragging
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