Antiragging Cell

Definition and Context

Ragging involves senior students subjecting newcomers or junior students to various forms of abuse, which can be physical, psychological, or verbal. This practice is often disguised as a rite of passage or initiation, but it can lead to severe emotional and physical harm to the victims.

The definition of what constitutes ragging as per the regulations of University Grants Commission for curbing the menace of ragging from Higher Education Institutions, 2009, is as follows:

• Any disorderly conduct by either by acts or words spoken, the effect of which is teasing, treating or handling with rudeness any other student.
• Any rowdy or undisciplined activity, which causes annoyance, hardship or psychological harm; Raise fear or apprehension thereof in the minds of junior.

• Asking the students to do an act or perform something, which such student will not do in ordinary course, which has the effect of causing shame or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of a junior student

After the amendment to the regulations, published on June 26, 2016, the definition was extended to include inflicting mental duress based on discrimination, to the definition,

• Any act of physical or mental abuse (including bullying and exclusion) targeted at another student (fresher or otherwise) on the ground of colour, race, religion, caste, ethnicity, gender (including transgender), sexual orientation, appearance, nationality, regional origins, linguistic identity, place of birth, place of residence or economic background.

Forms of Ragging

Ragging can manifest in several ways, including:

• Verbal Abuse: Insults, threats, or humiliating comments directed at juniors.
• Physical Abuse: Assaults or forced participation in degrading activities.
• Psychological Abuse: Isolation, intimidation, or coercion to perform acts that cause embarrassment.

Legal Implications

In response to the serious consequences of ragging in our country, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has established anti-ragging regulations, and ragging is considered a criminal offence. The Supreme Court of India has defined ragging as any act that causes physical or mental harm, instils fear or humiliates students.

Consequences of Ragging

The impact of ragging can be devastating, leading to:

• Psychological Trauma: Victims may experience anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Academic Decline: Fear of harassment can result in decreased academic performance and attendance.
• Severe Physical Harm: In extreme cases, ragging has led to injuries and even fatalities.

Measures to Combat Ragging

Efforts to combat ragging include:

• Legal Frameworks: Establishing laws that penalize those involved in ragging.
• Awareness Campaigns: Educating students about the dangers and consequences of ragging.
• Support Systems: Providing helplines and support for victims to report incidents anonymously.

Anti-Ragging Committee

Objectives of Anti-Ragging Committee:

Anti-Ragging Committee will be the supervisory and advisory committee in preserving a Culture with Ragging Free Environment in the college Campus. The main objectives of this committee are as follows:

1. To make Students aware of the adverse effects of ragging.
2. To keep a continuous watch and vigil over ragging to prevent its occurrence and recurrence.
3. To bring to our notice any ragging immediately.
4. To generate an atmosphere of discipline by sending a clear message that no act of ragging shall be tolerated and any act of ragging shall not go unnoticed and unpunished.

The Committee comprises the following members:

Anti-Ragging Committee Members:-

Anti-Ragging Committee is committed to ensure compliance with the provisions of Regulations as well as the provisions of any law concerning ragging in force and also to monitor and oversee the performance of the Anti-Ragging Squad in prevention of ragging in the institution. As per the order of the Supreme Court of India and subsequent Notification from the University Grants Commission (UGC), ragging constitutes one or more of any intentions by any student or group of students on:

• Any act of Indiscipline, Teasing or Handling with Rudeness.
• Any act that Prevents, Disrupts Regular Academic Activity.
• Any activity which is likely to cause Annoyance, hardship, Psychological Harm or create Fear or Apprehension.
• Any Act of Financial Extortion or Forceful Expenditure.
• Any Act of Physical Abuse causing Assault, Harm or danger to Health.
• Any Act of abuse by spoken words, emails, SMS or public insult etc.
• Any Act of injury or infringement of the fundamental right to human dignity.
• Any Act of Wrongful Confinement, Kidnapping, molesting or committing unnatural offences, use of criminal forces, trespass or intimidation.

• Any unlawful assembly or conspiracy to ragging.

Punishable ingredients of Ragging:

Under the UGC’s regulations the following acts have been deemed as ingredients to ragging:

• Abetment to ragging
• Criminal conspiracy to rag
• Unlawful assembly and rioting while ragging
• Violation of decency and morals through ragging
• Injury to body causing hurt or grievous hurt
• Wrongful restraint
• Wrongful confinement
• Use of criminal force
• Extortion
• Assault/sexual offences/Unnatural offences
• Criminal intimidation
• Offences against property
• Attempt to commit any or above of the offences
• Any offence flowing from the definition of ragging

The grievance and anti-ragging Committee may impose the following punishments depending on the nature and gravity of the guilt established. Any student or group of students found guilty of ragging on the campus or even outside the campus shall be liable to one or more of the following punishments:

• Suspension from attending classes and academic privileges.
• Withholding/Withdrawing scholarship and other benefits.
• Debarring from appearing in any Examinations.
• 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.

• Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution for a specified period.

There are thirteen provisions of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) which can be used by a fresher who is being ragged to register an FIR (First Information Report) in the police station under whose jurisdiction-area the crime has taken place.

Sections of the IPC under which students can file FIR for non-violent incidents of ragging:

• Section 294. Obscene acts and songs
• Section 339. Wrongful restraint
• Section 340. Wrongful confinement
• Section 341. Punishment for wrongful restraint
• Section 342. Punishment for wrongful confinement
• Section 506. Punishment for criminal intimidation

In cases of extreme ragging that includes violence, an FIR can be pursued for the following sections of the IPC:

• Section 323. Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt
• Section 324. Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means
• Section 325. Punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt
• Section 326. Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means

In case a ragging victim has lost his/her life, the following sections of the IPC may be applicable:

• Section 304. Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder
• Section 306. Abetment of suicide
• Section 307. Attempt to murder.

If you are being subjected to ragging or know of someone suffering from bullying or ragging reach out to the 24×7 toll-free National Anti-Ragging helpline at 1800-180-5522.