Why in news?

Recently, an 18 year old student was dead in Jadavpur University due to ragging.

What is defined as “ragging”?

• Ragging is defined as an act that involves an activity violating the dignity of a student.
• Ragging is done in the name of fresher’s welcome i.e. shows that what extent a person or human imagination can fall to prove his supremacy
• It includes any act
  • That generates a sense of shame, torment or embarrassment adversely affecting the physique or psyche of a student.
  • That affects the mental health and self-confidence of any student.
  • That would prevent, disrupts or disturbs the regular academic activity of any student
  • Of financial extortion or forceful expenditure burden put on other students by students
  • Of physical abuse, sexual abuse, homosexual assaults, stripping, forcing obscene and lewd acts, gestures, causing any kind of bodily harm or any other danger to health or person.

According to a survey in the year 2017, about 40% of India's students had to face some form of ragging and bullying, of which medical and engineering colleges reported the most.

What are steps taken by government against ragging?

• Unny committee- It was formed by University Grants Commission (UGC) to examine and submit a report on ragging.
• It put forward a Prohibition, Prevention and Punishment proposal.
• Central and state governments should enact laws against ragging.
• It suggested punishments ranging from fines to rigorous imprisonment of up to 3 years.
• Measures that can be taken includes
  • Sensitisation against ragging
  • Incentivizing wardens and students for their good conduct and anti-ragging activities.
  • Institutions failing to curb ragging should be disaffiliated.

University Grants Commission (UGC) is a statutory body set up under UGC Act 1956 under the Ministry of Education.

What is the Supreme Court’s stand on ragging?

• In 2001, the Supreme Court banned ragging across India.
• Guidelines- Setting up proctoral committees to prevent ragging and internally address complaints against ragging.
• Ragging if it becomes unmanageable or amounts to a cognizable offence the same may be reported to the police.
• R K Raghavan committee- It was appointed by Supreme Court in 2006 to suggest
• means and methods to prevent ragging.
• possible action that can be taken against persons/institutions that indulge/ fail to curb ragging
• Its recommendations were subsequently formalised by the UGC.

What are the guidelines specified by UGC?

• UGC adopted guidelines in 2009 under “The Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions”.
• Definition- It includes 9 explanations of what could constitute ragging.
• Institutional level- UGC requires universities to take measures for prevention of ragging.
• Universities must require students to sign an undertaking that they will not engage in ragging activities.
• The institution shall set up appropriate committees, including the course-incharge, student advisor, wardens and some senior students as its members.
• If found guilty by the anti-ragging committee, then  any member of the committee may proceed to file a First Information Report (FIR) within 24 hours of receipt of such information.
• Helpline- Anti Ragging helpline is available in 12 languages for helping victims of ragging.
• Anti-Ragging Website - https://www.antiragging.in/ portal contains the record of registered complaints received and the status of the action taken thereon.
• Awareness- All the educational institutions in the country observe August 12-18 as anti-ragging week.

What does the law say about ragging?

In 1997, Tamil Nadu became the first state where ragging was completely banned.

• Prohibition of Ragging Act 1997- Ragging is defined as  “any disorderly conduct 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".
• Section 339 of IPC- It criminalises the offence as wrongful restraint.
• Wrongful restraint is an offence when a person is prevented from proceeding in any direction in which that person has a right to proceed.
• Section 340 of IPC- It criminalises wrongful confinement which is defined as wrongfully restraining any person in such a manner as to prevent that person from proceedings beyond certain circumscribing limits.
• Separate regulations - All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the Medical Council of India have made their own regulations under their respective acts.

References

1. Indian Express- Jadavpur University student death
2. The Hindu- Ragging rage