Introduction:
Ragging is a serious issue faced in many colleges and universities across India. It refers to the harassment of junior students by senior students. While many consider it to be a harmless part of college tradition, ragging can have severe psychological and physical consequences for victims. This essay aims to discuss the issue of ragging in detail, its various forms, effects on victims, legal status and measures that can be taken to curb this menace.
Forms of Ragging:
Ragging comes in many forms ranging from mild teasing and name calling to serious physical and sexual abuse. Some common forms of ragging include:
Forced consumption of alcohol or any other intoxicating substance. Forcing younger students to drink large quantities of alcohol is quite common during ragging.
Physical assaults – Younger students may be slapped, beaten, kicked or punched during ragging. In some extreme cases ragging has led to serious injuries and even deaths of students.
Mental harassment – Verbal abuse including ridiculing, threatening, intimidating, humiliating or using foul language against junior students is a very common form of ragging.
Deprivation of sleep – Seniors may keep junior students awake for long hours or even days during ragging. Lack of sleep leads to mental and physical exhaustion.
Forced tasks – Juniors may be forced to do menial tasks like cleaning shoes, fetching snacks/meals, running errands for seniors etc.
Financial exploitation – Seniors may demand money from junior students in the name of ragging. Refusal can result in further harassment.
Discrimination based on caste, religion, region, appearance etc. Ragging often targets students from marginalized backgrounds.
Physical endurance tests and exercises – Juniors are sometimes subjected to exercises and drills meant to physically and mentally torture them.
Recording naked/indecent photographs or videos and threatening to make them public or forwarding them on social media.
Indulging in or forcing juniors to engage in obscene/sexual acts. Ragging sometimes takes a violent sexual form.
Effects of Ragging:
Ragging has severe psychological, physical and social consequences for victims. It often leaves deep, long-lasting scars in the minds of young students. Some common effects of ragging include:
Loss of self-esteem, confidence and dignity. Victims often feel humiliated and degraded by the experience of ragging.
Fear psychosis and trauma – Victims find it difficult to trust others or interact normally within the college due to ragging trauma.
Depression and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Severe ragging has led some students to contemplate or commit suicide as well.
Physical injuries ranging from minor wounds, fractures to serious injuries and disabilities in extreme cases. Untoward incidents and deaths have also occurred during ragging.
Poor academic performance due to mental stress and unable to focus on studies. Dropouts, discontinued education have happened due to ragging.
Strained interpersonal relationships with seniors, peers and reluctance to participate in co-curricular activities in college.
Social stigma and reputation loss if victims have experienced public/naked ragging or videos have gone viral.
Health issues like alcoholism or drug addiction can emerge due to forced substance abuse during ragging.
Socio-economic loss for family due to medical treatment costs of physical injuries, discontinuation of education etc.
Legal Status and Regulatory Measures:
The Supreme Court of India has designated ragging as a crime. According to the UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009, ragging is a cognizable offense that can lead to imprisonment up to two years and/or a fine of upto Rs. 1 lakh.
Some measures adopted by educational institutions to curb ragging include:
Anti-ragging committees and squads for prevention, prohibition and penalization of incidents of ragging.
Filling online anti-ragging undertaking forms by students and parents declaring their compliance to anti-ragging regulations.
Vigilance squads and patrols within hostels and campus to monitor ragging activities. Closed-circuit cameras in sensitive locations.
Anti-ragging awareness and orientation programs for freshers and seniors before beginning of academic session.
Anti-ragging helplines and complaint boxes for anonymous reporting of ragging incidents. Time-bound investigation and action.
Disciplinary action including suspension, expulsion, rustication or legal action against those found involved in ragging.
No Ragging certificates issued to students at the end of academic year as proof of no involvement in ragging.
Regular counseling, sensitization and annual anti-ragging conventions within colleges to curb the social acceptance of ragging.
Collaborating with police and local authorities for support in implementing anti-ragging regulations. Strict surveillance during initial settlement period of freshers.
Conclusion:
While the above regulatory and enforcement measures have helped curb ragging to some extent, this social menace still plagues many institutions. A mass awareness movement is required at community level to change societal mindsets that justify ragging. Junior and senior students need to be sensitized to respect each other within a positive peer-learning environment devoid of any kind of harassment or abuse. With collective efforts at various levels, the day is not far when our educational institutions can provide a safe, dignified experience for all students free from ragging.
Andrew Stroud