KNOW THE RULES
UGC REGULATIONS
"Ragging" means the following:
Any disorderly conduct whether by words spoken or written or by an act which has the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness any other student, indulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in a fresher or a junior student or asking the students to do any act or perform something which such student will not in the ordinary course and which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of a fresher or a junior student.
Punishments
Depending upon the nature and gravity of the offence as established by the Anti-Ragging Committee of the institution, the possible punishments for those found guilty of ragging at the institution level shall be any one or any combination of the following:
- Cancellation of admission
- Suspension from attending classes
- 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
- Rustication from the institution for period ranging from 1 to 4 semesters
- Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution
- Fine upto Rs.2,50,000
- Collective punishment: When the persons 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.
ANTI-RAGGING DUTIES OF COLLEGES
(Applicable to ALL higher educational institutions imparting education beyond 12 years of schooling.)
Before And During Admission And Registration:
- Every public declaration, brochure of admission/instruction booklet or the prospectus to print these regulations in full.
- Identity of informants of ragging incidents to be fully protected.
- Faculty members assigned to students to make surprise visits and to maintain a diary of his/her interaction with the freshers.
- Freshers to be lodged, as far as may be, in a separate hostel block.
- Head of the institution, at the end of each academic year, to send a letter to the parents/guardians of the students who are completing their first year in the institution informing them about these Regulations.
After Admission:
- Printed leaflet to be given to every fresher detailing addresses and telephone numbers of the Anti-Ragging Helpline, Wardens, Head of the institution, all members of the anti-ragging squads and committees, and relevant district and police authorities.
- Telephone numbers of the Anti-Ragging Helpline and all the important functionaries in the institution, members of the Anti-Ragging Committees and Anti-Ragging Squads etc. to be published in brochure of admission/instruction booklet or the prospectus.
- Every student and his/her parents to file an affidavit avowing not to indulge in ragging.
- The institution to prominently display posters detailing laws and punishment against ragging.
- Anti-ragging squad to ensure vigil at odd hours during first few months at hostels, inside institution premises as well as privately commercially managed hostels.
Anti-Ragging Committee And Anti-Ragging Squad:
- Anti-Ragging Committee to be nominated and headed by the Head of the institution, and consisting of representatives of civil and police administration, local media, Non Government Organizations involved in youth activities, representatives of faculty members, representatives of parents, representatives of students belonging to the freshers' category etc.
- Duty of the Anti-Ragging Committee to ensure compliance with the provisions of these Regulations.
- Anti-Ragging Squad to be nominated by the Head of the Institution for maintaining vigil, oversight and patrolling functions and shall remain mobile, alert and active at all times.
- Anti-Ragging Squad to make surprise raids on hostels.
- Discreet random surveys to be conducted amongst the freshers every fortnight during the first three months.
- The Heads of institutions affiliated to a University or a constituent of the University to submit a weekly report on the status of compliance with Anti-Ragging measures and a monthly report on such status thereafter, to the Vice-Chancellor of the University.
- The Vice Chancellor of each University to submit fortnightly reports, including those of the Monitoring Cell on Ragging in case of an affiliating university, to the State Level Monitoring Cell.
Complaint Of Ragging:
- First Information Report (FIR) to be filed within twenty four hours of receipt of such information or complaint of ragging, with the police and local authorities.
- Head of the institution to forthwith report the incident of ragging to the District Level Anti-Ragging Committee and the Nodal officer.
- Institution shall also continue with its own enquiry and remedial action to be completed with-in seven days.
Responsibilities of University Grants Commission (UGC):
- The Commission to verify that the institutions strictly comply with the requirement of getting the affidavits from the students and their parents/guardians as envisaged under these Regulations.
- The Commission to make it mandatory for the institutions to incorporate in their prospectus, the anti-ragging directions of the Central Government or the State Level Monitoring Committee.
- The Commission to maintain an appropriate data base to be created out of affidavits, and such database to also function as a record of ragging complaints received, and the status of the action taken thereon.
- The Commission shall make available the database to a non-governmental agency.
- The Commission to include a specific condition in the Utilization Certificate, in respect of any financial assistance or grants-in-aid to any institution, that the institution has complied with the anti-ragging measures.
- The Commission to constitute an Inter-Council Committee to coordinate and monitor the anti-ragging measures in institutions across the country.
- The Commission to institute an Anti-Ragging Cell within the Commission to provide secretarial support for collection of information and monitoring, and to coordinate with the State Level Monitoring Cell and University level Committees for effective implementation of anti-ragging measures.
JUDGEMENT OF THE SUPREME COURT- SUMMARY
Every institution should engage or seek the assistance of professional counsellors at the time of admissions to counsel 'freshers' in order to prepare them for the life ahead, particularly for adjusting to the life in hostels.
Every institution should engage or seek the assistance of professional counsellors at the time of admissions to counsel freshmen in order to prepare them for the life ahead, particularly for adjusting to the life in hostels.
On the arrival of senior students orientation programmes must be scheduled. In hostels, wardens should address all students.
Every institution must have an Anti-Ragging Committee and an Anti - Ragging Squad. The Squad may be called upon to make surprise raids on hostels and other hot spots and should be empowered to inspect places of potential ragging. The Squad should work under the overall guidance of Anti- Ragging Committee.
At the level of the District a District level Anti - Ragging Committee should be formed.
At the level of the University there should be a Monitoring Cell on Ragging.
At the State level there should be a Monitoring Cell at the level of the Chancellor of the State Universities,
In light of the increasing number of private commercially managed, lodges or hostels outside campuses, such hostels and management must be registered with the local police authorities and permission to start such hostels or register them must necessarily be recommended by the Heads of educational institutions.
Wardens must be accessible at all hours and therefore it is important that they, be available on telephone and other modes of communication.
The educational institutions shall ensure that each hostel should have a full-time warden who resides within the hostel, or at the very least, in the close vicinity thereof.
The recent incident involving the death of Aman Kachroo clearly indicates that the formulation of guidelines and regulations is not sufficient. Such regulations shall have to be enforced strictly and penal consequences for the heads of the institutions/administration of the institution who do not take timely steps in the prevention of ragging and punishing those who rag.
In addition to penal consequences, departmental enquiries be initiated against such heads institutions / members of the administration / faculty members / non-teaching staff, who display an apathetic or insensitive attitude towards complaints of ragging.
Not only the students but also the faculty must be sensitized towards the ills of ragging, and the prevention thereof. Non-teaching staff, which includes administrative staff, contract employees, security guards etc., have also to be regularly sensitized towards the evils and consequences of ragging;
The Principal or Head of the Institution/Department shall obtain an undertaking from every employee of the institution including teaching and non-teaching members of staff, contract labour employed in the premises either for running canteen or as watch and ward staff or for cleaning or maintenance of the buildings/lawns etc. that he/she would report promptly any case of ragging which comes to his/her notice.
It is seen, that college canteens and hostel messes are also places where ragging often takes place. The employers/employees of the canteens/ mess shall be given necessary instructions to keep strict vigil and to report the incidents of ragging to the college authorities if any;
Each batch of freshers should be divided into small groups and each such group shall be assigned to a member of the staff. Such staff member should interact individually with, each member of the group on a daily basis for ascertaining the problems/difficulties if any faced by the fresher in the institution and extending necessary help.
In the case of freshers admitted to a hostel it shall be the responsibility of the teacher in charge of the group to coordinate with the warden of the hostel and to make surprise visits to the rooms in the hostel where the members of the group are lodged;
Ragging takes place mostly in the hostels after the classes are over in the college. A round the clock vigil against ragging in the hostel premises shall be provided;
It is necessary that parents/guardians of freshers assume responsibility for promptly bringing to the notice of the Head of the Institution any instance of ragging.
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