Ragging: Stingent actions necessary

The ragging incident on August 10, 2023, on the Jadavpur University cam pus, Main-Hostel, rocked the whole of Bengal and India. A first-year Arts student, 16-year-old Swapnadweep Kundu, was allegedly thrown from the 2nd floor of the hostel and succumbed to injuries. This incident once again exposed the hollowness of administrative control over the hostellers and the inadequacy of anti-ragging measures that are in place. In general, ragging cases in India are on the rise. The statistics revealed by the UGC reveal that 3299 cases were registered between April 18, 2012, and December 12, 2017. The figure shows only the tip of the iceberg; the actual figure would be much higher, as many cases were not reported out of fear. The above Jadavpur University incident reminds us of a similar ragging incident in 2022 on the Dibrugarh University campus, in which a student, Anand Sarma, jumped off the 2nd floor to escape the ragging menace and received critical spinal injuries.

Initially, ragging was a simple self-initiation or introduction process for juniors in the form of fun-making activities such as singing a song, acting a scene from a movie, or playing a joke, which provided entertainment. But those entertaining methods have been replaced now by inhumane modes of ragging, including physical punishment, forced ugly dress codes and hairstyles, even sexual abuse acts, etc. Ragging is more pronounced in professional colleges like medical colleges, engineering colleges and other premier institutions of India. The Assam government passed the Assam Prohibition of Ragging Act 1998, and a violator of the Act is punishable by imprisonment up to 6 months and a fine up to Rs 10,000 or both. Lawyers are of the opinion that some existing provisions (Section 294, 323, 324, 325) of the IPC are applicable for raggers, or even the POCSO (The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012) Act in some cases is applicable. Students responsible for ragging will be expelled from the institution for a period of one academic year. The Act also stipulates that the Head of the Institution shall be responsible for initiating actions as per the provisions of the Act in case a complaint is lodged, failing which, the Head of the Institution will be accountable and liable for disciplinary actions. Other states passed similar legislation with varied quantum of punishments to curb ragging.

The present hazardous types of ragging are of the following nature: 1. To help seniors in their academic activities, such as project work, assignments, letter-writing jobs, etc., almost every day until late at night. 2. Financial Harassment: to collect money from juniors, fetch cigarettes and alcohol for seniors, and engage in other personal jobs. 3. The most dangerous form of ragging is physical torture, such as slapping a junior or beating him with a hockey stick or cricket bat. 4. Sexual abuse, which includes standing in a naked posture, going to each senior’s room in a scanty dress code prescribed by them, knocking at the doors, giving a self-introduction, describing private parts, etc., are some of the most humiliating activities leading to suicide incidents. 5. Drug abuse is another form of it, compelling juniors to consume drugs. 6. It is compelling to join a political club without the consent of a particular ideology. The above list is indicative, not exhaustive. Such tortures continue for days together, from 7-8 p.m. to late at night. Those activities induce a tremendously unbearable amount of mental stress, causing freshmen to lose mental balance and compelling them to take extreme steps. These menaces of ragging are considered to be systematic human rights violations.

Indian heritage is free from such barbarous activities, even in the days of famous olden Indian universities like the Nalanda, Takshashila, and Mithila, where students from faraway countries came for studies. They left behind vivid accounts of their days of stay, in which no such mention is available. Ragging in India is of recent origin; it came with the British and was introduced here in the Army and English colleges first. Vulgarity and aggressiveness in ragging are accelerated by substance abuse like alcohol and drugs. Under the influence of alcohol or drugs, students are swayed away by the emotion of hidden machismo pride. From the studies, it is found that there is no definite reason for ragging, except that most students feel it is a sense of privilege, of being a senior, a superiority complex that they enjoy, and above all, a tradition. They were ragged before, so they will rag juniors to enjoy themselves by employing similar methods. In some of the reputed institutions, students have now taken over full control of the administration with the help of political parties, rendering administrative authority defunct. The superintendents and wardens are not allowed to enter the hostel’s premises. Even though they claim drinking in hostels is their right! In a few cases, students held superintendents captive for the whole night. Hence, the time has come to implement all the provisions of the Anti-Ragging Act in letters and spirits and comply with the instructions of the UGC.

Suggestions have been made to re-constitute anti-ragging committees effectively, comprising representatives from senior students, hostel superintendents, wardens, and police to monitor ragging activities at night. To cope with the changed scenario, the college administration must also adjust accordingly. Placing new students separately in different hostels is a viable alternative. Before commencement of academic activities, a meeting may be convened of all faculty members, senior students’ representatives, guardians, representatives of administration, and police to discuss measures that are to be taken to prevent ragging. Proposed measures must be well explained to all, and rules must be circulated. The installation of CCTV cameras is an urgent need of the hour. No outsiders or passed-out students should be allowed to overstay inside the hostels. Affidavits of both the guardians and students must be taken to this effect to promise not to rag. The UGC has published the toll-free number 1800-180-5522 on a 24X7 basis and helpline@antiragging.in. Internal phone numbers should be displayed in vulnerable places. Authority must not remain a mute spectator; it needs to be proactive, as discipline is on the verge of collapse.