In a bid to increase security of students on the campus, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has started a toll-free national helpline number that will take complaints of ragging and harassment.
In a bid to increase security of students on the campus, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has started a toll-free national helpline number that will take complaints of ragging and harassment. The system will divert complaints of students to the respective universities to ensure that ragging as well as harassment of students, especially those from the OBC community is deterred.
According to the order issued by UGC secretary Dr Jaspal Sandhu, UGC had framed ‘UGC Regulations on curbing the menace of ragging in higher educational institutions, 2009’ in pursuance of a Supreme Court order.
These regulations have to be mandatorily followed by all universities and colleges.
“Ragging is a crime and top most priority has to be accorded to stop it immediately. The Commission has made it mandatory for all institutions to incorporate in their prospectus the directions of the government regarding prohibition and consequences of ragging. In pursuance of this, the UGC has established a nationwide toll-free anti-ragging helpline 180O-180-5522 in 12 languages which can be accessed by students in distress due to ragging,” said Dr Sandhu.
Dr Sandhu further said that universities and colleges should take strong measures to implement the anti-ragging regulations. “All complaints of discrimination and harassment among others, including that of OBC students and students of marginalised/ disadvantaged groups of the society must be recorded properly and dealt with promptly,” said Dr Sandhu in the order.
The ragging issue has come into the limelight after the Rohith Vemula suicide case in January wherein it was alleged that Vemula, a research scholar at Hyderabad Central University along with five other dalit scholars, was involved in a scuffle with ABVP activists on the campus. Following the inquiry by HCU authorities, Vemula and the others were suspended from the campus and the hostel, leading to Vemula committing suicide.
