Steady decline in ragging cases as awareness grows

With effective monitoring, sensitisation of students and public awareness campaigns, the number of ragging incidents across the country has shown a marked decline over the last few years.

Government statistics reveal a steady decline in the number of ragging complaints received by the University Grants Commission.

While the number of complaints received by the UGC this year stood at 198, in 2015 the number stood at 423, at 543 in 2014 and 640 in 2013.

Sources stated that the marked decline in the ragging cases has been due to special efforts by the Union human resources development ministry which has initiated several steps for stopping this menace on campuses. It is understood that the government wants to make its educational institutes ragging free as soon as possible. In this endeavour, several steps have been initiated over the past several years to make campuses students friendly.

Recently, in order to curb ragging, the UGC had amended its regulations and expanded it to include all categories of students. Now, any act of physical or mental abuse based on colour, race, gender and even appearance of a student will be construed as ragging, and those found guilty of such misconduct will be liable for disciplinary and penal action.

The amendments, based on recommendations of a government appointed committee, have come into effect immediately. Transgender students have also been included in the list of those vulnerable to campus ragging.

The commission has also been allocated about Rs 5 crore for undertaking publicity campaign against ragging in higher educational institutions in the country.

This amount has been earmarked for preparing and broadcasting of TVCs on anti-ragging by Doordarshan, making of films by NFDC, coverage through FM radio and printing and mailing of posters by DAVP and broadcasting on the All India Radio by Prasar Bharati.

In fact, chief secretaries of states and concerned education secretaries, where the ragging cases reported are high, have been told repeatedly to clamp down on such acts.