What constitutes Ragging?
Ragging constitutes one or more of any of the following acts:
- Any conduct by any student or students 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.
- Indulging in rowdy or indiscipline activities by any student or students which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship, physical or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in any fresher or any other student.
- Asking any student to do any act which such student will not in the ordinary course do and which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame, or torment or embarrassment to adversely affect the physique or psyche of such fresher or any other student;
- Any act by a senior student that prevents, disrupts or disturbs the regular academic activity of any other student or a fresher;
- Exploiting the services of a fresher or any other student for completing the academic tasks assigned to an individual or a group of students.
- Any act of financial extortion or forceful expenditure burden put on a fresher or any other student by students.
- Any act of physical abuse including all variants of it: sexual abuse, homosexual assaults, stripping, forcing obscene and lewd acts, gestures, causing bodily harm or any other danger to health or person.
- Any act or abuse by spoken words, emails, post, public insults which would also include deriving perverted pleasure, vicarious or sadistic thrill from actively or passively participating in the discomfiture to fresher or any other student.
- Any act that affects the mental health and self-confidence of a fresher or any other student with or without an intent to derive a sadistic pleasure or showing off power, authority or superiority by a student over any fresher or any other student.
Clause 7
Action to be taken by the Head of the institution
On receipt of the recommendation of the Anti-Ragging Squad or on receipt of any information concerning any reported incident of ragging, the Head of institution shall immediately determine if a case under the penal laws is made out and if so, either on his own or through a member of the Anti-Ragging Committee authorized by him in this behalf, proceed to file a First Information Report (FIR), within twenty four hours of receipt of such information or recommendation, with the police and local authorities, under the appropriate penal provisions relating to one or more of the following, namely;
- Abetment to ragging;
- Criminal conspiracy to rag;
- Unlawful assembly and rioting while ragging;
- Public nuisance created during ragging;
- Violation of decency and morals through ragging;
- Injury to body, causing hurt or grievous hurt;
- Wrongful restraint;
- Wrongful confinement;
- Use of criminal force;
- Assault as well as sexual offences or unnatural offences;
- Extortion;
- Criminal trespass;
- Offences against property;
- Criminal intimidation;
- Attempts to commit any or all of the above-mentioned offences against the victim(s);
- Threat to commit any or all of the above-mentioned offences against the victim(s);
- Physical or psychological humiliation;
- All other offences following from the definition of “Ragging”.
Provided that the Head of the institution shall forthwith report the occurrence of the incident of ragging to the District Level Anti-Ragging Committee and the Nodal officer of the affiliating University, if the institution is an affiliated institution.
Provided further that the institution shall also continue with its own enquiry initiated under clause 9 of these Regulations and other measures without waiting for action on the part of the police/local authorities and such remedial action shall be initiated and completed immediately and in no case later than a period of seven days of the reported occurrence of the incident of ragging.
Clause 9.1
The institution shall punish a student found guilty of ragging after following the procedure and in the manner prescribed herein under:
a) The Anti- Ragging Committee of the institution shall take an appropriate decision, in regard to punishment or otherwise, depending on the facts of each incident of ragging and nature and gravity of the incident of ragging established in the recommendations of the Anti-Ragging Squad.
b) The Anti-Ragging Committee may, depending on the nature and gravity of the guilt established by the Anti-Ragging Squad, award, to those found guilty, one or more of the following punishments, namely;
- Suspension from attending classes and academic privileges.
- Withholding/ withdrawing scholarship/ fellowship and other benefits.
- Debarring from appearing in any test/ examination or other evaluation process.
- Withholding results.
- Debarring from representing the institution in any regional, national or international meet, tournament, youth festival, etc.
- Suspension/ expulsion from the hostel.
- Cancellation of admission.
- Rustication from the institution for period ranging from one to four semesters.
- Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution for a specified period. Provided that where the persons committing or abetting the act of ragging are not identified, the institution shall resort to collective punishment.
c) An appeal against the order of punishment by the Anti-Ragging Committee shall lie,
- In case of an order of an institution, affiliated to or constituent part, of the University, to the Vice-Chancellor of the University;
- In case of an order of the University, to its Chancellor.
- In case of an institution of national importance created by an Act of Parliament, to the Chairman or Chancellor of the institution, as the case may be.
Anti-Ragging Posters
The anti-ragging cell conducts surprise checks on campus, classrooms, laboratories, canteen, playground, etc. It ensures that no one indulges in the ragging of the students. It reports any ragging-related issues found during surprise checks to the anti-ragging committee. Anti-ragging division instructs all the students of the first semester on specific rules as any occurrence falling in the ambit of ragging should be immediately reported to any of the committee members, any student need not comply with any unwarranted instructions of senior students, any student need not listen to the advice/instruction of any senior student to visit their place for whatsoever reason they may have.
Aims
- To prohibit, prevent, and eliminate the scourge of ragging including any conduct by any student 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, or indulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities by any student.
- To monitor, direct, and oversee the functions and performance of the Anti-Ragging Squads in preventing and curbing ragging in the institution.
Objectives
- To be vigilant at all hours all around the campus and other places vulnerable to incidents of, and having the potential of, ragging and shall be empowered to inspect such places.
- To make surprise raids on hostels, and other places vulnerable to incidents and having the potential for ragging.
- To conduct an on-the-spot enquiry into any incident of ragging referred to it by the faculty or student or parent or guardian, as the case may be: and the enquiry report along with recommendations shall be submitted to the Head of the Institution for action.
- To ensure the display of posters on Institution and Department Notice Boards and other prominent designated places.
- To offer services of counselling and create awareness among the students.
Conclusion
With the effect of the aforementioned precautionary measures taken against ragging, any educational institution can ensure among the students a positive and healthy behavioural pattern which could gradually enhance a sportsman-spirit in the peer group. Vincent Pallotti College has specifically considered this matter for the students’ welfare. In the future also, we expect a ragging-free zone inside the college campus.
Members
Dr. Shiny Rocky
Coordinator
Prof. Vishwa Kumar
Member
Prof. Keshavardhini
Member
Prof. Sunitha
Member