The Supreme Court of India set the guidelines against Ragging in Colleges. We are reproducing here the details of court guidelines, from national newspapers.

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Anti-ragging Guidelines Welcome

  

THE ACADEMIA on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court guidelines to check ragging in colleges, but had a word of caution on the provision of initiating criminal proceedings against the perpetrators, saying it could be used to settle personal scores on the campus.

 

The directions have been widely applauded as a necessary step to weed out the menace of ragging but most feel that the execution of the provisions needs much care. "It was much needed. But a deterrent cannot be at the cost of one's career, any harsh action to an offender without defining the act of ragging could prove counter-productive," said Prof. Anil Kumar of the Shri Ram College of Commerce.

 

Accepting most of the recommendations of the Raghavan Committee, the apex court had issued a slew of directives to check ragging on campuses across the country "There is a possibility of personal scores being settled against the seniors via the act if the provisions are not implemented with utmost care," said Sidharth Mishra, Chairman, Governing Body of Maharaja Agrasen College.

 

Student's bodies have stressed that the college administration needs to ensure minimal external interference, like that of the police, for healthy functioning of the campus. "We have always stood for harsh punishments for the perpetrators of ragging. It is no doubt a crime. But, on this pretext, there are chances of the police entering the campus," said Arun Kumar, President, Students' Federation of India.

 

"It should be left to the campus community whether to call in the police or not. The Committee recommendations are definitely a step towards democratisation of campuses," he said.

 (HT/May 17, 2007)

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Principals Oppose Ragging FIR

New Delhi: Though the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered educational institutions to file FIRs against students indulging in ragging, the heads of several city colleges said this should be treated only as a ‘‘last resort’’ since such a harsh step could jeopardise students’ future. Strict disclipinary action was enough to make errant students fall in line, they opined.

 

‘‘Nabbing the culprit is the responsibility of the head of institution and there’s no need for the police to intervene. For instance, we expelled four students from the hostel two years ago when they were caught ragging freshers,’’ said Kirori Mal College principal Bhim Sen Singh. ‘‘Ragging can take various forms — from asking freshers to sing or dance to sexually harassing them. We cannot generalise the act and file an FIR against everyone found indulging in ragging. There should be a more clear definition of the term,’’ Singh added.

 

The court, while accepting most recommendations of the R K Raghavan committee on Wednesday, gave a slew of directions. The recommendations included an amendment of the Criminal Procedure Code to ensure that cases of ragging are tried on a fasttrack. The punishment should be harsh and examplary to act as a deterrent, it said.

 

But lodging an FIR against a teenager may ruin his or her career, said Hindu College principla Kavita Sharma. ‘‘At the college level, we do have a disciplinary committee with representatives from the faculty, non-teaching staff and students, which takes necessary action against erring seniors. Five years ago, we fined two students Rs 3,000 each when they were caught ragging,’’ she added.

 

Officials of residential institutes like IITs and IIMs, where ragging is more prevalent, also feel that they have enough rules in place to curb the menace. ‘‘We have a monitoring committee to keep a constant vigil and a permanent
standing committee chaired by the director to take necessary action against the guilty. In 2003, some students were expelled for a year. The expulsion can go up to three years even,’’ said Anurag Sharma, dean (students), IIT-Delhi. Even DU has an ordinance in place, which says that ragging would lead to expulsion.

But there are also people who find nothing wrong in filing FIRs against errant srudents. Principal of Ramjas College Rajendra Prasad said: ‘‘Ragging is a criminal activity. A student studying in an institution of higher learning is considered an adult, then why he/she should not be booked if found guilty of ragging? Moreover, a student cannot escape the law if found harassing someone outside the campus.’’

 

Agreed Institute of Hotel Management principal Alok Shivpuri: ‘‘The move will help us to check ragging but students and parents need more counselling to help us eradicate the menace.’’

 

As for students, they have welcomed the court’s directions, but are at the same time apprehensive that the wrond person may be booked. ‘‘One should listen to both parties to ensure that only the culprit is booked,’’ said DUSU president Amrita Dhawan. The apex court has also stated that SCERT and NCERT should introduce an ‘‘anti-ragging’’ chapter. ‘‘Integrating ragging into the school curriculum will help kids to learn about its fallout,’’ said C Gurumurthty, director (academics), CBSE.

(Time of India/ May 17, 2007)

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SC Gives Freshers a Weapon Against Ragging: FIR & Law

NEW DELHI, MAY 16 : Ragging should now be a criminal offence, the Supreme Court held today, much like crimes against women like cruelty or dowry-related offences.