Ragging is a word which is sufficient to send shivers down the spine of thousands of students who have undergone horrible and mind numbing experience on their first few days in their College. The legal definition of ragging is "Doing an act which causes or is likely to cause any physical, psychological and physiological harm or shame or embarrassment to a student.” This includes teasing, abusing or playing practical jokes or causing hurt to a student or asking a student to do an act which he/she would not do in the ordinary course of life.
Ragging initially meant the introduction of juniors to their seniors, so that there could be a harmony in their college but gradually this act of introduction crossed the limits of healthy interaction and entered the domain of teasing and then to physical abuse and shockingly even sexual. The abused freshers suffer from serious psychological trauma and continue to carry this pain for the rest of their lives.
Substantial time, words and ink have been spent in discussing - the incidents and ill effects of ragging but we have very recently started initiating the process of rooting out this savage and barbaric form of welcoming students. This problem aggravated with the rapid mushrooming of private Engineering and Medical Colleges in the early 90s. Since quite a good number of such colleges are in South India, this part of India became a hub of brutal activities. One of the worst affected states, Tamil Nadu brought legislation against ragging in 1997 and in 2001 the Hon’ble Supreme Court banned ragging throughout the country. This led to decrease in daytime ragging in campus which was at least a relatively safe mode of interaction while more threatening and virulent forms of ragging in hostels continue to thrive in most of the Colleges.
For a complete and comprehensive solution of this problem, we will have to adopt three forked solution. The first and the deterrent one is to give strict punishment to the culprits. Under this measure, the accused must be immediately handed over to police and stringent legal action should be taken against them by both the college as well as court. Secondly, through awareness it must be spread that ragging is a legal and social crime. This would slowly but surely check ragging and this is the one and only permanent solution. Finally, alternate means of interaction between fresher and seniors need to be nurtured.
Very recently the Supreme Court came to the fore with strict guidelines to prevent ragging in Colleges and educational institutions. The guidelines on ragging are based on the recommendations made by the Supreme Court Committee on ragging headed by R.K Raghvan. This included immediate rustication of senior students indulged in ragging and action against the heads of the institutions where ragging takes place, sensitizing senior students and checking alcoholism in college campus. Even the SHO and SP will be held responsible if any act of ragging takes place in the area that falls in their Jurisdiction.
It's high time we thought ragging is harmless fun and helps students come out of their shell. It is an act of aggression, a social evil, a heinous crime and a cause of shame for a society which otherwise wants to be called civilized.
