The crime of ragging continues its run on the campuses especially in country’s medical colleges. A latest outrageous case of such crime from Dungarpur Medical College, Rajasthan has come to light, where a first-year MBBS student was made to do more than 300 sit-ups at a place near the college on May 15.
According to reports, the push-ups exerted severe pressure on his kidney, leading to a malfunction and an infection. He had to be admitted to a private hospital in Gujarat as the pain was unbearable. For the week, he was hospitalized, he had to undergo dialysis four times. Now his condition is reported to be stable. The victim had taken admission in the college in September last year.
The victim didn’t report the incident till June 20, when he filed an online compliant. Following which an inquiry, the college principal has lodged a FIR against seven accused students (Devendra Meena 2. Ankit Yadav 3. Ravindra Kulriya 4. Surjeet 5. Vishvendhra Dhayal 6. Siddharth Parihar 7. Aman Ragera) after the anti-ragging committee of the institute found them guilty.
The FIR was registered against the seven students under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 149 (offence committed in prosecution of common object), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 352 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation).
Anti-ragging Resources
An Anti-Ragging toll free “helpline” 1800-180-5522 in 12 languages has been made operational with Call Centre facilities for helping victims of ragging, besides facilitating effective coordinated action by all concerned. The UGC has developed an Anti-Ragging Website i.e. www.antiragging.in. The Portal contains the record of registered complaints received and the status of the action taken thereon.
Centre for Youth (C4Y) is working as Monitoring Agency in association with the Ministry of Education, Government of India and the University Grant Commission (UGC), Government of India to support the National Ragging Prevention Programme in the country. C4Y monitors 24×7 anti-ragging helpline, compliances, technological support and creates awareness to demote ragging in universities, colleges across India.
Punishment Provisions
Any student or group of students found guilty of ragging on campus or off campus shall be liable to one or more of the following punishments:
- Debarring from appearing in any sessional test/ university examination or withholding results
- Suspension from attending classes and academic privileges
- Withdrawing scholarships and other benefits
- Suspension from the college for a period of one month
- Cancellation of admission
- Debarring from representing the institution in any national or international meet, tournament, youth festival, etc
- Suspension/expulsion from the hostel
- Rustication from the institution for periods varying from 1 to 4 semesters or equivalent period
- Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution
- Fine up to twenty five thousand rupees
- Imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees or with both
- Collective punishment – When the students committing or abetting the crime of ragging are not identified, the institution shall resort to collective punishment as a deterrent to ensure community pressure on the potential raggers.
Any institution that fails to take adequate steps to prevent ragging or fails to act in accordance with the Regulations or fails to punish perpetrators or incidents of ragging suitably is liable to the penalties and punishments as per the provisions of the Regulations.
The Regulations
UGC Regulations on curbing the menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009
Ragging is a criminal offense and UGC has framed regulations on curbing the menace of ragging in higher educational institutions in order to prohibit, prevent and eliminate the scourge of ragging. In pursuance to the Judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India dated 08.05.2009 in Civil Appeal No. 887/2009, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (g) of sub-section (1) of section 26 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, the UGC notified “Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009”. These regulations are mandatory for all universities/ institutions
