Let's make a Ragging-free India!

NO SPAM, PLEASE!

2010-05-30T20:58:00.002+05:30

We are getting flooded with objectionable and/or spam comments.

We appeal to let us continue our work without such nuisance. We are working voluntarily for a social cause. Hope, we shall be spared from such disturbances.

We Are Moving !

2010-02-20T08:23:00.002+05:30

Hi,

We have decided to move our blog. This URL doesn't make any sense with regard to the name of the organization. Therefore we shall move soon.

Regards,

Team - SAVE.

We are now forced to Moderate Comments

2010-02-20T08:15:00.002+05:30

Hi,

We had to delete one blog-post "You the Freshman" by Dhrubo!

Well, there are people who wants to make money at any cost. Some of them didn't bother to post vulgar and/or completely unrelated comments... some were even in other (don't know what) language.

In this situation, we are now forced to apply comment moderation. We regret any possible inconvenience, arising out of it, to genuine posters.

Regards,

Team- SAVE,

Read up

2008-12-15T04:02:00.001+05:30

Urge everybody to read this

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main20.asp?filename=hub101406personalhistories.asp

2008-12-15T03:52:00.002+05:30

I thought perhaps I would share an article with everybody. But before that, a moment to hear what H. Purandeswari said. 9 deaths and 3 serious injuries was the toll that ragging took this year. Though I care not about statistics, she must have been kidding, right?

The Hindu carried an article some time ago with specific emphasis on the Keralian society. They said the youth subculture of encouraging the image of a "rebel" contributed in part to the vice. I think it also has got to do something with the phallic tendency of projecting "Machoism", the "Tough guy", "I am a real man" image. Insecure alpha-males?

"Lack of closeness and warmth in families pushes youth to anarchy and rebellion, alcoholism and drug abuse."

That seems somewhat of a weak excuse. My parents are divorced so I rag somebody?

For people with more interest, read

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007110253980400.htm&date=2007/11/02/&prd=th&

2008-11-07T00:39:00.002+05:30

Half of the new academic year has already passed us by and by the flood of mails we have received, the year has been as worse as any when it comes to violence and ragging. So tell us what you think. Did you fac any ragging at all this year? Did you think it was "fun"? Or were you repulsed by it?
Tell us.

2008-10-10T23:57:00.001+05:30

A Shubho Bijoya to everybody. And a happy Dusshera. And have a great Diwali.

Pray for a ragging free year.

Wake Me Up When September Ends...Or Don't.

2008-10-01T23:59:00.003+05:30

Its the first of October. Time to take a look at the horror that last month was.

Its been a common perception that we focus too much on Kolkata. So this time we will explore the barbarism throughout the length and breadth of this nation.

A scuffle broke out between South and North Indian students at Vivekananda Institute of Technology, ironically named, which left 8 injured. Apparently 3rd semester students were ragging the first semester students badly,especially the ones who hailed from Bihar. They were allegedly locked up in a room and "treated like animals". They decided subsequently to take matters into their own hands and a brawl ensued.
The authorities made no F.I.R.s. Oh and they said it was a minor fight over meals.

University of Aligarh has decided to impose fines on ragging offenders. We hope it works.

On a more sombre note, we remember Chetan, who used to be a student of Mysore Medical College who was traumatized by ragging. He committed suicide. As Achebe said, things have fallen apart; people vowed to change things. Nothing has.

Chennai colleges have moved on from physical to semi-physical and psychological ragging...
And so Uday Anand, a final student at the University of Goa, lives in constant fear of assault because he asked the juniors to stand up against ragging and not be afraid of him. He lives under an atmosphere of constant persecution and heavy handed intimidation. His room is broken into by batch mates and what do the authorities do? The Registrar proudly declares that an undertaking has been taken from the offenders that their behaviour won't be repeated.
And so all we need to do is ask Dawood to say that he will leave crime. Mission accomplished.

Its been a wretched month. And the future looks glum. For us. For you. For the first years. For Uday. And for the millions of you who feel the same way but will never speak up. Thanks to all the people who read this and go on to another page, the saga of violence will go on.

Jadavpur gets back

2008-09-25T07:46:00.002+05:30

We have been a little late in reporting this but credit must be given where its due.

Remember the incident at Jadavpur University where a student of Architecture was ragged ad allegedly drugged? Well, in an unprecedented move, the university has suspended 24 students involved in the incident and lodged F.I.R.s against 6 of its former students who were also involved.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the 4 students who were directly involved have been suspended for 2 years....quite a decisive step, don't you think?

This is the first time Jadavpur University has invoked such strict suspension and penalties against ragging-offenders. On can only hope it is the dawn of a new era.

We are awake again

2008-09-13T01:11:00.003+05:30

Profuse apologies for the seeming irregularity in posts...we all have been so warped up in our lives that,though the work has continued,it hasn't been tabulated as regularly as it should've been.

The September newsletter is coming up....Tell us your suggestions....

A tale of two universities

2008-08-05T21:31:00.002+05:30

Delhi continues to strive towards a brighter future unmarred by the menace of ragging....in a matter of few weeks , the whole campus of the celebrated University of Delhi will be under electronic surveillance. The University authorities in collaboration with the Delhi Police are putting up 47 CCTV s across the campus in order to avoid any untoward incidents. The authorities have also expressed their desire of setting up a 24-hour helpline for students to call in in the event of ragging or eve-teasing. Way to go Delhi! Three cheers!

But again, to remind us that there is along way to go before we sleep, is the University of Punjab. A complaint was lodged against some second year students a couple of weeks ago. They were accused of forcing freshers to strip and walk naked around the campus.
Quite serious an offence, I say! Well,according to the University authorities, not quite. The students have been suspended for a week.
The Dean of Social Welfare commented that the University had set up a committee to "look" into the matter; though has it that the authorities have decided to hush the matter up and term it as an "interactive session"! So apparently, Raghavan committee can go to the dogs!

Depressing? Exasperating?Vexing?

Death at my doorstep

2008-08-02T20:49:00.002+05:30

Apparently water isn't safe anymore.Not when you are in college.

Gurkirat Singh, freshman at The Government Sports College, Chandigarh,didn't know that. He is dead.

Accusations have been flying thick and fast for the past few days. The son of farmer,Gurkirat was a promising basketball player who was found entangled to the college pool's ladder by a student who jumped in at the insistence of a teacher who apparently got worried since Gurkirat had been missing for hours.

The college Principal has till now been nonchalant, insisting that Gurkirat along with a bunch of other students had forced entry into the pool by manhandling the watchman and then had subsequently died because he didn't know how to swim.

The truth appears, however, to be much more sinister.

A certain man by the name of Harkanwal Singh, who also happens to be the boy's father, alleged in the "Times Of India" that his son had been a victim of ragging. Far from an accident,this was a case of homicide.
He says that his son had called him up a few days ago and stated how the "seniors" were pestering him incessantly. They were harassing him and threatening him and he had begun to lose morale. The father says there are bruises and marks of a scuffle in the boy's hands and feet, clearly showing that he was stopped by force from coming out of the water.
He also says that Gurkirat knew how to swim.

The college authorities remain dutifully firm over their side of the story. They say that the pool was off-limits for students in general and Gurkirat forced his way in. They however,cannot specify any motive for Gurkirat to have done so.
Indeed it is difficult to imagine why a freshman would do so! The college authorities also are trying hard to shove the ragging issue under the carpet. The police have registered a case but personally speaking, their progress seems rather suspect.
They have so far "quizzed" the students about ragging and as expected, all of them have said that there was no ragging going on. They apparently said that the "incidents were not serious and couldn't be called ragging."

Ragging or no ragging, Gurkirat Singh is dead. And it serves me no joy in typing that he might be the first ragging death this year. However,the greater fear is that he is the first of many.

Rapscallion

2008-07-26T23:19:00.004+05:30

This isn't original...this is a jewel I stumbled upon on "The Transparent Mirror" http://www.transparentmirror.inamorata.nu/, the site of a gifted friend of mine.
Read it and see if you smile or shake your head.

First year of college, a scared fresher staggers close to the door of his class.

“May I come in, Sir?” His breath is fast and the teacher inspects him suspiciously. “You know you’re late!” he barked.

“Yes Sir. Sorry Sir. Some seniors detained me near the cycle stand . . . I was

“Never mind, take your seat and next time be on time and avoid seniors, have you understood?”

With eyes lowered, he simply nods and takes his seat.

Second year at college, some roles change and people’s perspective undergoes the same.

The same student is late again. He waits majestically outside the class until his teacher makes the mistake of noticing him. He inspects him disdainfully,

“So why are you late, Sir?” The teacher asks without caring to hide his sarcasm.

“I was nearly on time for your class but ..

“What?”

“I found some first year students loitering near the cycle stand.”

So did you smile or did you shake your head?

Jadavpur does it again!

2008-07-20T23:16:00.004+05:30

I start today with a personal recollection....I remember,on my first day at St.Xavier's,whilst I expressed indignation at the attempts at ragging by our seniors,i was rebutted in unison unequivocally by my peers.I was told to chill because there was nothing serious going on,nothing in comparison with the great Jadavpur University.
Over the length of the next week,I was educated by my friends and seniors alike that whatever was going on in my college,however disgusting,humiliating and reprehensible,was nothing compared to Jadavpur University and its battalion of merry men.Some even expressed disgust at the feeble attempts at ragging in our college...Xaverians are novices,it was said;the real expertise lay elsewhere.

Last week,Jadavpur University added another "feather" to its "ragging cap" and in doing so,firmly ensured itself of the position of fear mixed reverence that most people my age treat that institution.A young girl,enrolled in the Architecture department,was being "educated in the way of the university" ,also called "ragging" by some fools,by her seniors.The seniors,innocent and pure,assaulted her physically,pulled her hair and forced her to chew cigarettes and smoke a few cigarettes herself.(The Statesman,The Star News Service)...Some rumours have also blasphemously suggested that the cigarettes contained some form of drug.

Of course,immediate action was taken and the authorities "scolded" the seniors!I wonder why The Supreme Court didn't think of scolding as the ultimate punishment for ragging.
As news began to spread and crowds gathered outside those hallowed gates,the college authorities responded in a manner in which most Indian problems are tackled...They formed a probe.Of course,the media was fended off for the moment and in any case,when the probe turns in its report,if ever,the media won't be around to examine it.
The name of the girl was withheld as was the names of the felons because,apparently the college was worried about the reputation of the "poor" girl!I wonder,if they had shown the same concern earlier,the whole incident might have been avoided.

What have the great University management done to combat ragging?According to The Times Of India and Expressindia.com,they have done a lot!They have put up the supreme court notices on billboards,they have formed committees and they have scolded people in general!
And their ideas to stop ragging?Even better!Ensure freshers don't get free periods and stop them from remaining on the campus after classes.Wow!So all we have to do is to turn colleges into military camps!

This isn't a slur against a particular institution.i have nothing against Jadavpur.I am just plain amazed that the students of such a prestigious institution indulge in such heinous acts without even a twinge of conscience.Knowing my peers,they must have just gloated about the whole incident....the more perplexing thing is the attitude of the authorities;they seem hardly serious about the whole incident.Their primary concern seems to brush the whole thing under the carpet.

But that isn't the saddest thing...the saddest thing is the way in which people will remember this incident...A few months down the line,the same story will probably be repeated to juniors in all colleges across Calcutta with more amusement than empathy.A few months down the line,the girl's fate will probably be exemplified as what happens to people who don't listen to seniors.A few months down the line,the story will probably be used to further bolster Jadavpur's fearsome reputation.
Maybe nothing will happen...maybe a small thing here or there of no consequence will change at the university.But what fills me up with regret is that we shall chant with glee next year,to our newly admitted juniors,that the prize of the best ragging in 2008 went to Jadavpur University.And life shall go on.

Delhi takes a step forward

2008-07-17T23:30:00.003+05:30

Now that we have established the fact that our holiday is over,its time for introduction.I am Dhrubo and I am afraid you will have to put up with me till the time I get fired.
Its admission time at most universities in and around India and that consequently means its overdrive for people with a conscience and a sane mind.
It is indeed pleasing to note that India's best known and most popular university,the renowned University of Delhi has come down hard on ragging,even if only on paper.Known even a few years ago as a hub of the ragging menace,D.U has truly turned a corner...as The Times Of India and a number of newspapers report,it seems the dark clouds hovering over some of India's best educational institutions are now finally dispelled.And this doesn't seem like a false dawn anymore.If even a fraction of the reports bear the stamp of reality,it is but welcome change for the millions who throng the national capital with dreams in their eyes and hope in their hearts.

A particular paragraph caught my eye the other day..."

Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) will also organise an anti-ragging rally to be flagged off by DCP (north) Devesh Srivastava from the DUSU office on the North Campus. Before that DUSU will welcome freshers with chocolates and flowers and a sandalwood tilak around 9 am."(The Times of India(Delhi edition),17th July)

What seems amazing about the news item above is the involvement of the student union.I was impressed when the D.U.S.U implemented a voluntary ban on on-smoking campus...the result was before my eyes at S.R.C.C. this January.One can only hope that even if the involvement is a publicity exercise and a bit over the top,it will usher in change long overdue.

We are back

2008-07-17T23:14:00.002+05:30

This was a long long break that we had taken.But the great news is that we are back;and back with a bang.People with a conscience,start reading the blog.It might just be the best thing you do all day!
I know its the best thing I have done all day.

CET incident: Police record statements

2008-02-04T18:39:00.000+05:30

CET incident: Police record statements
Saturday February 2 2008 09:28 IST

SHANGUMUGHAM Assistant Commissioner (AC) P. Reghunath has started a probe into the alleged manhandling of a fourth-semester student of the College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram (CET) by senior students.

A team led by the AC inspected the room in the college where fourth-semester student Arjun was locked-up and harassed for four days from January 16. He also recorded the statement of the victim and the others concerned.

The police are of the view that since the victim was a fourth-semester student, the incident could not be considered as ragging, but only as atrocity. Meanwhile, the victim who was admitted to the Medical College Hospital here told reporters that there was negligence on the part of the police in probing the case. He alleged that he was assaulted by final year students and SFI activists Nikhil Nambiar, Jith James and Jithu D.

The victim’s parents have also approached the State Human Rights Commission. The All-India Democratic Students’ Organisation has also alleged that the police and the authorities concerned were trying to protect the accused SFI activists.

In another development, SFI activists staged a dharna at the college demanding action against Arjun in the wake of the complaints by first-semester students that Arjun had ragged them. The enquiry commission appointed by the college is yet to complete the probe.

Ragging a violation of human rights

2008-02-04T18:36:00.000+05:30

Ragging a violation of human rights
Sunday February 3 2008 06:14 IST

THRISSUR: Ragging is a serious violation of human rights, said Health Secretary Usha Titus.

Presenting a paper on ''Challenges faced by medical fraternity'' organised by Jubilee Mission Medical College here on Saturday, she said that even in foreign countries ragging of the sort found in our country was unheard of.

She said that it was the fundamental responsibility of the doctor to give primary care to his patients. Over-specialisation and compartmentalisation were detrimental to patients.

District Collector M Beena presided over the function. Jubilee Mission Medical College principal Dr V K Ramankutty, director Fr Dr Francis Alapatt and college union chairman A Ahmed also spoke.

Teen fires air gun at mates

2008-02-04T18:32:00.000+05:30

Teen fires air gun at mates
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Bangalore, Feb. 3: A 16-year-old fired at two of his classmates from an air gun and injured them, apparently as revenge for ragging.

Ashok (name changed), who had been practising shooting on his first-floor terrace for days, waited for Charan Kumar, 15, and Arun Kumar, 16, to come into view near the house on their way home yesterday afternoon before firing twice.

The pellets hit Charan on his forearm and Arun on his leg. Passers-by called a nearby police patrol vehicle and rushed the boys to Victoria Hospital, not far from the shooting scene in the middle-class Girinagar area. The boys were sent home after surgery to remove the pellets.

The incident comes less than two months after two Class VIII students shot dead a classmate who they said had been tormenting them at a Gurgaon school.

In Bangalore, too, there were warning signs. Ashok, said to be a bright Class X student, was allegedly teased often by a bunch of boys led by Arun. A fortnight ago, teachers at Swami Vivekananda School had to intervene when the boys got into a scuffle.

None of the parents had complained till last night, prompting police to lodge a suo motu case and book Ashok under the juvenile act. He will be produced before the juvenile justice board on Monday, officers said.

Charan’s father R.C. Kumar said he did not file a complaint as it involved his son’s classmate and board exams are due in March.

The police said they would question Ashok’s father, whom they did not name, for presenting his son with the air gun on his birthday recently. The boy had claimed initially that the gun belonged to his father but later admitted it was a gift. No licences are needed for air guns. It is rare for anyone to be killed by an air gun pellet.

Pledge to weed out social ills

2008-01-02T10:47:00.000+05:30

Guwahati, Dec. 23: Students of Guwahati’s 10 leading colleges today resolved to put up a joint fight against bandh culture, ragging, private tuition and drug abuse.

A resolution to this effect was taken at a meeting organised by the Assam unit of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) at Sudmerson Hall of Cotton College this afternoon.

The NSUI, the students’ wing of the Congress, also felicitated the office-bearers of the students’ unions of the colleges.

“Besides felicitating the students’ representatives, the NSUI organised a discussion on the four relevant issues. The participants exchanged views on the adverse effect of the ills plaguing society. At the end of the meeting, the representatives of the 10 colleges agreed to adopt a resolution,” the president of the state unit of the NSUI, Bibhuti Bhusan Borthakur, said.

“Students affected by bandhs, ragging, private tuition and addiction to drugs must unite to fight the social malaise.”

The representatives resolved to organise a series of awareness campaigns and meetings in their colleges from next month on the issues, particularly the bandh culture and drug addiction.

There will be interaction sessions between teachers and students to check private tuition.

Efforts will be made to strengthen anti-ragging cells and committees of the colleges to prevent incidents of ragging. The meeting adopted a resolution to constitute a co-ordination committee by the NSUI to keep in touch with the colleges for effective implementation of the initiatives planned to solve the problems.

“It is high time the student community raises its voice against the bandh culture. There are so many organisations which call bandhs at the drop of a hat,” the vice-president of the Cotton College Union Society, Munin Bora, said.

“Students are the worst-affected by the bandh culture. We also have to fight against drug addiction. Many students are ruining their brilliant careers after taking to drugs. The NSUI deserves praise for uniting different colleges to fight against the problems,” Bora said.

Drug abuse has not only compounded the problem of AIDS but also taken a heavy toll on the physical and mental health of the youths.

Students’ representatives from Cotton College, B. Borooah College, J.B. Law College, Handique Girls’ College, Pandu College, Pragjyotish College, Guwahati College, Dispur College, Lalit Chandra Bharali College and College of Veterinary Science attended today’s meeting.

Ragging: Test identification parade sought

2008-01-02T10:42:00.000+05:30

THRISSUR: The five senior students of the Kerala Agricultural University’s Veterinary College, who were accused of ragging a first-year student of the college, have filed a petition in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court here on Wednesday pleading the court to direct the inquiry officer to conduct a test identification parade.

The accused students, who were present in the court, expressed their readiness to present themselves before the authorities concerned for the test identification parade.

The students alleged that merely on the suspicion of their involvement in the case, the police are harassing them. The case will come up for hearing on Thursday.

Two-year jail term for ragging

2007-12-16T11:23:00.000+05:30

Two-year jail term for ragging

LUCKNOW: Students indulging in ragging in educational institutions should remain prepared to serve a jail sentence of two years as the UP government is all set to make it a cognizable offence. A draft bill related to it was approved by the state cabinet presided by Chief Minister Mayawati on Monday.

Briefing reporters of the decisions taken in the cabinet meeting, cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh said that the chief minister had taken a serious not of ragging at educational institutions. Considering it to be a social evil, the cabinet approved a draft bill 'Ragging-2007', to be presented in the Assembly session beginning from Tuesday, said Singh.

He said that in the draft bill a provision has been made wherein a student, his parents or guardian can lodge a complaint with the head of the institution if the student is subjected to ragging. Upon receiving the complaint, the head of the institution will have to inquire the matter within seven days and if the complaint is prima facie found to be correct, students involved in the act (ragging) would immediately be debarred from the institution. Thereafter a case would be registered with the police for further action. If no prima facie evidence is found in the complaint, head of institution would inform about the facts to the complainant in writing.

Ragging jail plan

2007-12-16T11:21:00.000+05:30

Ragging jail plan
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Lucknow, Dec. 3: The Mayavati cabinet today approved a proposal for a two-year jail term for ragging offenders in educational institutions.

The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Ragging Bill, 2007, is expected to be tabled in the Assembly during its special session beginning tomorrow. It draws heavily from a similar act in Maharashtra but has safeguards against its possible abuse.

If passed, the act will come into force by early next year in 15 engineering colleges run by the state and the central government, 21 universities and the 300-odd government-affiliated undergraduate and medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh.

The act will also be in force in the nearly 1,200 private institutions, education department officers said.

The Assembly had earlier this year set up a seven-member committee to recommend measures to curb ragging, which has turned into a recurring menace in the state.

The latest incident was on October 15, when an engineering student of a government polytechnic institute in Pratapgarh committed suicide by consuming poison in his hostel room, police sources said.

“The anti-ragging law has become an imperative in view of the increasing incidents of ragging in educational institutions,” cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh said.

The proposed act makes it mandatory for the head of an institution to probe a complaint within seven days of it being lodged and recommend penal action to the nearest police station. If he fails to do so, it would be treated as complicity and he might be liable for punitive action, Singh said.

Govt set to introduce anti-ragging bill

2007-12-16T11:20:00.001+05:30

Govt set to introduce anti-ragging bill

Lucknow, December 3 The state government has decided to introduce an anti-ragging bill soon, said state Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh today.
While talking about the upcoming bill at a press conference on Monday, Singh said, “The bill will have punitive measures, including imprisonment, monetary fine for students indulging in ragging.”

He added, “The bill will have a provision for two years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 for students involved in ragging.”

“Those accused of ragging will get ample time to prove their point. Within 30 days from the date of the registration of the complaint, the accused can prove their point before the divisional commissioners,” he further said.

Meanwhile, head of educational institutions, academicians and students of Uttar Pradesh hailed the state government’s initiative to counter ragging.

“The anti-ragging bill will definitely act as a deterrent for those senior students who physically or physiologically abuse their juniors,” said Lucknow University Vice-Chancellor Prof Ram Prakash Singh.

The V-C added that in the last few days, he has received several complaints of ragging from different hostels of the varsity. “Taking strict cognisance of these complaints, we will soon conduct raids in these hostels,” he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, Dr A N Singh, associated with LU’s social work department, said, “The move was long overdue as it will help weeding out the social menace from educational institutions.”

Appreciating the state government’s move, Mudit Kumar, a mass communication student from Lucknow University, said, “The anti-ragging bill will allay the ragging fears of junior students to a considerable extent.”

UP adopts Bill, 2-yr jail term for ragging

2007-12-16T11:18:00.002+05:30

UP adopts Bill, 2-yr jail term for ragging

LUCKNOW: In a significant move to curb ragging in educational institutions, the Mayawati government on Thursday adopted a Bill in the state assembly making provisions for two-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 for offenders.

The Bill was tabled in the House by parliamentary affairs minister Lalji Verma and passed by a voice vote without any debate. Another important provision made in the bill - UP Ban On Ragging In Educational Institutions Bill, 2007 - is that the offenders would not be able to get admission in any institution for a period of five years.

It, however, gives an opportunity to the students to appeal within 30 days against their expulsion before a commissioner, whose decision in the matter would be final.

The Bill also says in case of written complaints by students, their parents or guardians and teachers, the head of the institution should probe the charges within a week. It authorises the institution head to expel the offenders, if found guilty, within a week and file a complaint with the police. The head of the institution could be punished if he fails to take any action.

The Bill underlines the government's concern over the increasing incidents of ragging in different institutions in UP in the recent past.

Mayawati cabinet okays bill on ragging

2007-12-16T11:18:00.001+05:30

Mayawati cabinet okays bill on ragging

Lucknow, Dec 03: Paving the way for a total ban on ragging in educational institutions, the Uttar Pradesh government on Monday approved a proposed bill which envisages two-year prison terms and fines of Rs 10,000 for offenders.

The cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mayawati approved the draft ragging in Educational Institutions Bill 2007, cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh today reporters here.

He said under the bill, those found guilty could face up to two years in jail and a fine of Rs 10,000.

It permits students expelled from institutions on ragging charges to appeal within 30 days before a commissioner, whose decision in the matter would be final, Singh said.

The bill also provides that in case of written complaints by students, their parents or guardians and teachers, the head of the educational institution should probe the charges within a week.

The provision holds that the institution head should expel the offenders, if found guilty, within a week and file a complaint with the area police station.

The government's concerns have been raised over the numerous incidents of ragging across the state in the past few months in places like Greater Noida and gorakhpur.

Six students were expelled from Apeejay Institute of Technology in Greater Noida in October on ragging charges and an 18-year-old student of Madan Mohan Malviya Engineering College in Gorakhpur committed suicide in September after allegedly being tortured by his seniors.

Four Lucknow University students suspended for ragging

2007-12-16T11:16:00.000+05:30

Four Lucknow University students suspended for ragging

Four students of Lucknow University have been suspended and FIRs lodged against them for allegedly ragging juniors and threatening them with dire consequences if they failed to obey their diktats.

Acting on a complaint of BA first year students, the LU Proctorial Board suspended the four second year students-- Mani Singh, Mritunjay Singh, Prem Singh and Bhanu Pratap and lodged FIRs against them on Tuesday, university sources said on Wednesday.

Juniors had alleged last week that the four used to assign them work with the threat that those who failed to do it would be made to urinate on heaters or singed with cigarette butts.

Both the accused and complainant are residents of Acharya Narendra Dev hostel of LU.

Though FIRs have been lodged against the accused, the university authorities have insitituted an inquiry to check the veracity of the charges, LU Proctor AN Singh said.

Ragging accused create ruckus

2007-12-16T11:13:00.000+05:30

Ragging accused create ruckus

LUCKNOW: Just about the time on Thursday when Vidhan Sabha was giving final shape to the anti-ragging Act, a group of student leaders in Lucknow University staged a protest against a senior professor who was about to take action against those alleged of ragging the junior students.

The high voltage drama unfolded on the LU campus in the afternoon when some of the student leaders alleged chief provost and director of Academic Staff College Prof Nishi Pandey of misbehaving with a student Digvijay Singh while he was on his way to the Department of Linguistics in which is enrolled.

Prof Pandey, however, shrugged off the charges. Instead, she said, Digvijay "deliberately" came in between the conversation she was having with a couple of students of BA (II) whose name had figured in the list of those involved in ragging of juniors. According to the version given by Prof Pandey to media, she along with proctor AN Singh had definite information that some of the students in Acharya Narendra Dev hostel had indulged in ragging of first-year students. In fact, she charged, ragging was being done in the presence of some students leaders in room number 105, 106 and 126.

It was following this that the LU administration had given a notice to the occupants of these three rooms. Occupant of room number 105, Sandeep Kumar, was, however, out of station. It was thus occupants of room number 106 and 126, Ranvijay Singh and Mrityunjay Yadav, respectively, who had gone to meet Prof Pandey. They even gave an application to the chief provost claiming that they were not involved in any kind of ragging. It was while they were on way to Prof Pandey's office that they were intercepted by a student, Maan Singh, a student of III rd semester, Criminology. Both Digvijay and Mrityunjay, confirmed this to the media.

Maan Singh, according to the duo, said that he would get the matter solved with the chief provost. The two, however, "refused the help" offered by Singh. Maan Singh soon left.

"But then came in this boy Ranvijay, and he stood close to us. I asked him to show his ID card and leave. But he started misbehaving. I was thus forced to deposit his ID," Prof Nishi said.

It was then Ranvijay started shouting and called upon students like Abhishek Mishra alias 'Baba', who claims himself to be a student leader. Incidentally, Ranvijay, Maan Singh and Baba had been arrested by police on September 9 on charges of rowdyism inside the university premises. Maan Singh, later talking to media, admitted this.

The student leaders soon gathered around the Academic Staff College, sat on a dharna and started raising slogans against the chief provost, who then called in the police. Ranvijay, who had occupied the centrestage by then, insisted that it was the chief provost who misbehaved and hurled abuses.

Proctor AN Singh said that such rowdyism would not be tolerated at any cost. "We would soon take some serious action which would also include getting an FIR lodged against all such rowdy students," Singh said.

Incidentally, the agitation comes barely a month before when LU vice-chancellor Prof RP Singh - who dealt with rowdy students with an iron hand -is set to complete his term. Faculty members observed that the agitation was part of the rowdy student's larger game plan to influence the students with their "leadership" qualities.

Expulsion must for ragging, says SC

2007-12-16T11:12:00.000+05:30

Expulsion must for ragging, says SC

NEW DELHI: Concerned over the tardy implementation of its previous orders, Supreme Court on Monday directed educational institutions to adopt a "zero tolerance" policy to ragging and expel students found guilty of maltreating freshers.

Laying down expulsion of offenders in ragging cases as the minimum punishment, the court said this was needed to end the menace that could lead to extreme torture and harassment and even loss of life.

The court took a stern view, ruling out lighter punishment like suspension, after many incidents came to light despite the SC order in May this year which banned ragging in colleges and universities on the basis of the Raghavan Committee recommendations.
Colleges have now been asked to put it on their prospectus that students found guilty of ragging would be expelled immediately.

The SC, in May, had warned students that if they harassed freshers physically or mentally, they would be liable to be booked by police, expelled from college and denied admission in future. But with ragging offences still regularly reported, the court felt it was time to get tougher.

SC widens ragging rod reach

2007-12-16T11:10:00.000+05:30

SC widens ragging rod reach
OUR LEGAL CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, Dec. 10: The Supreme Court today extended its anti-ragging rules to medical, nursing and dental colleges as well as government-run polytechnics across the country.

The apex court also noted that its strict “message” against ragging did not appear to have been driven home.

“It seems that the message to persons indulging in ragging has not achieved the desired results,” the court said after additional solicitor-general Gopal Subramanian drew its attention to 100-odd ragging cases reported in the print media during the current academic year.

All the media reports have been referred to the Raghavan committee, a Supreme Court-appointed panel to curb the menace.

The committee, headed by former CBI chief R.K. Raghavan, and the authorities of various universities will look into the reports and suggest action against the offenders.

The court directed the Raghavan committee to suggest ways to deal with those found guilty of ragging.

The apex court had in May this year issued several guidelines on ragging, including filing of an FIR by the institution concerned.

The court today directed all educational institutions to include in their admission prospectus a clause clearly stating that any student found ragging another would be expelled.

'Mention action against ragging in prospectus'

2007-12-16T11:09:00.000+05:30

NEW DELHI: An SC bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and Aftab Alam on Monday concluded that its earlier orders on ragging had not been effective after it referred to a report submitted by amicus curiae and additional solicitor general Gopal Subramaniam detailing incidents since May.

Recognising that its warnings may now need more bite, the Bench directed all educational institutions to clearly mention in their admission prospectus that any student accused of ragging would be given a chance to explain his conduct, and if found guilty, be straightaway expelled from the institution.

In order to ensure that its instructions are taken with due seriousness, the SC asked the Medical Council of India, Dental Council of India and Nursing Council of India alongwith state governments and the Union agriculture ministry to implement recommendations of the Raghavan Committee to eliminate ragging in institutions. It specifically asked the committee to probe two cases — physical torture of a handicapped student and forcible administration of narcotic drugs on another — and report to the court.

The court had in May this year given a slew of stern directions to stamp out ragging in educational institutions,
including mandatory registration of FIRs against seniors if they were found guilty. The punishment should be "exemplary and justifiably harsh to stop recurrence of the ugly incidents", it had said.

protests continue in JU

2007-12-16T11:05:00.000+05:30

Jammu, Dec 08 (NAK): While Vice Chancellor Jammu University Prof Amitab Mattoo assured fool-proof security arrangement in and around campus, the ongoing protest demonstrations in the Varsity continued for the third consecutive day today.

Students gathered outside the administrative block, for the third consecutive day today, and stage a protest demonstration. Raising slogans against the University authorities, the protestors were demanding complaints registered against some student leaders by the authorities.

The protestors burnt down effigy of VC and threatened that they will intensify the agitation in case the authorities failed to concede their demands.

Meanwhile, in an attempt to ease out the situation, Vice Chancellor Prof. Amitabh Mattoo today visited Nehru Hostel and Swami Vivekanand Hostel and assured the scholars and students that adequate security arrangements would made in hostels and campus premises.

Accompanied by senior officials of the campus, the VC announced that the 24 hours security would be placed in service in and around the hostel premises so as to ensure safety of the students.

“The security system of the University will be further strengthened with the help of the state police till deemed necessary," assured Vice Chancellor adding that those students indulging in unlawful activities and harassment of the students in the hostels will be dealt with iron hands and action against those will be initiated according to the law.

Vice Chancellor also assured the Scholars and students that action against the culprits will be initiated immediately after the submission of the inquiry report on Sunday.

Clashes broke out on Thursday after some outsiders barged inside one of the boy’s hostel and thrashed some students. The students alleged that they were regularly being harassed by their seniors on the name of ragging.

The situation turned ugly when on next day students entered into administrative block and broke furniture and other fixtures on the campus, while protesting against the failure of the authorities to provide security to students and hostel inmates.

UP Assembly adopts Bill on ragging

2007-12-16T11:04:00.000+05:30

UP Assembly adopts Bill on ragging

Lucknow, (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Thursday adopted a Bill aimed at curbing ragging in educational institutions and which envisages two-year prison terms and fine of Rs 10,000 for offenders.

The Bill, which was earlier approved by the state cabinet, was tabled in the House by Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Lalji Verma, and was passed by a voice-vote without any debate.

The UP Ban on Ragging in Educational Institutions Bill 2007, provides for an imprisonment up to two-years and a fine of Rs 10,000 to offenders, who would not be able to get admission in any educational institution for a period of five years from the date of the offence.

It permits students, expelled from institutions on ragging charges, to appeal within 30 days before a Commissioner, whose decision in the matter would be final, Singh said.

The Bill also provides that in case of written complaints by students, their parents or guardians and teachers, the head of the institution should probe the charges within a week.

It provides that the institution head can expel the offenders, if found guilty, within a week, and file a complaint with the area police station. The head of the institution can also be punished if he fail to take action against the offenders.

The government's concerns have been raised over the numerous incidents of ragging across the state in the past few months in places like Gorakhpur and Greater Noida.

Six students were expelled from Apeejay Institute of Technology in Greater Noida in October on ragging charges, while a student of Madan Mohan Malviya Engineering College in Gorakhpur committed suicide in September after allegedly being tortured by his seniors.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Six students held for misbehaviour

2007-12-16T11:03:00.000+05:30

Six students held for misbehaviour

LUCKNOW: As many as six student leaders of the Lucknow University were arrested on Friday on charges of vandalism. The development comes a day after LU authorities lodged a complaint against some of the student leaders for allegedly misbehaving with chief provost and director of Academic Staff College Nishi Pandey. The students were, however, released after being detained in the police lockup for nearly six hours.

The six students included Ranvijay Singh and Maan Singh. The duo was reportedly behind the entire drama which unfolded in front of Academic Staff College on Thursday when Ranvijay alleged Prof Pandey of misbehaving with him.

Significantly, Prof Pandey and proctor AN Singh have acted tough against the student leaders who were engaged in the ragging of their juniors in the university hostels. The two senior faculty members had surveyed some of the hostels and found some rooms where the junior students were reportedly roughed up by the seniors.

College prospectus must have expulsion warning on ragging: SC

2007-12-16T11:02:00.000+05:30

College prospectus must have expulsion warning on ragging: SC

New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday directed that universities and colleges shall, henceforth, mention in their admission prospectus that students who indulge in ragging would be expelled from the institution.

A bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and Aftab Alam, also said that its guidelines for ensuring ban of ragging in universities/colleges, shall apply to colleges under the Medical Council of India (MCI), Dental Council of India; polytechnics and those institutes under the Ministry of Agriculture.

The apex court passed the directions after the amicus curiae (friend of court) and Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam sought such directions, as many incidents of ragging continued to be reported in the country despite its earlier directions for implementation of the Raghavan committee recommendations.

Moreover, he said, that there were misconceptions among authorities of medical colleges, polytechnics and institutions imparting education on agriculture that the anti-ragging rules were not applicable to them as they were under separate regulatory bodies.

The amicus curiae also mentioned two separate incidents of ragging in which a student was reportedly forced to consume narcotic substances and another physically-challenged student was subjected to ragging by his seniors.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jammu University students stage protest against ragging

2007-12-16T11:01:00.000+05:30

Jammu University students stage protest against ragging
Vijay Kumar, 09 December 2007, Sunday

A GROUP of students, who were agitated over the repeated incidents of ragging, ransacked office complex of vice chancellor of Jammu University Prof Amitabh Mattoo last Thursday. They staged protest later outside his chamber demanding strict actions against those students involved in ragging incidents. According to the report, a group of students were ragged by senior students in one of the hostels in Jammu University campus. Junior students were reportedly thrashed, paraded naked and later humiliated by some of the senior students. While staging protest, the students were unhappy with the university authorities for not taking prompt action against students involved in incidents of ragging happened on Wednesday night.

Agitated students alleged that the incidents of ragging were going on inside the hostel for past several days and the issue was brought into the notice of the university authorities. “On Wednesday evening also when the incident took place we immediately contacted our hostel warden but he refused to come and informed us to meet him in the morning”, students peeved over the delayed response told media persons outside the VC chamber amid chanting slogans loudly.

The victimized students alleged that they brought the matter into the notice of the university authorities early in the morning, yet they failed to take any action against the culprits. Angry over the poor response of the authorities, the students assembled outside the main gate of the administrative block and smashed windowpanes, flowerpots and wall paintings. Later, they staged protest outside the VC chamber and chanted slogans demanding action against the students responsible for the act.

University authorities reportedly made several attempts to pacify the agitating students but went in vain. Groups of students also clashed with each other exchanging hot words outside VC’s office trading charges against each other. Dean student welfare PS Pathania told media that university administration has already identified those students who were behind ragging incidents. “We have informed local police authorities and appropriate action will be taken against them soon, he added. Superintendent of Police, who arrived on the spot, said that University administration have been asked to submit a written complain against the students so that they can register an FIR for further action in this case.

No case of ragging reported from Punjab colleges

2007-12-16T11:00:00.000+05:30

CHANDIGARH: Not a single case of ragging was reported in any Government and Private Medical/ Nursing/Ayurvedic/Homeopathic and any Para-medical teaching institute in the Punjab State during a current academic year, due to strict vigilance measures initiated by the Punjab Government.

Stating this here Tuesday Tikshan Sud, Medical Education & Research Minister said that the Punjab Medical Education Department had conducted a detailed exercise to control ragging in the State by involving faculty, parents as well as students in this campaign. He said that the department today circulated the latest judgment of Supreme Court on ragging to all Medial Institutes in the State and they have been directed to include the clause of 'expulsion of students involved in ragging from the institute', in the prospectus of next academic year.

Sud said that Medical Superintendent in each institute has been designated as Nodal Officer to check ragging and he would be held accountable in any case of ragging reported in their respective institute.

The Medical Education Minister said that the Punjab Government was committed to check the practice of ragging in the State and the Minister solicited the co-operation all strata of society in this campaign of Punjab Government.

Ragging cry puts off Besu exam

2007-12-16T10:57:00.000+05:30

Ragging cry puts off Besu exam
A STAFF REPORTER

Postgraduate students of Bengal Engineering and Science University (Besu) boycotted semester exams that were to start on Tuesday to protest the alleged ragging of an undergraduate student.

Besu postponed the exams for an indefinite period. On Monday, the undergraduate exams were indefinitely postponed following a boycott by students.

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) alleged that Afroz Ahmed, a second-year student of information technology, had been ragged in his hostel by Independent Consolidation (IC) supporters late on Monday. The IC, however, denied the charge, saying Afroz was involved in assaulting its supporters.

Vice-chancellor Nikhil Ranjan Banerjea said: “The allegation has been sent to the disciplinary committee.”

'Check ragging at any cost'

2007-12-16T10:56:00.000+05:30

'Check ragging at any cost'
Posted at Monday, 10 December 2007 21:12 IST

New Delhi, Dec 10: The Supreme Court on Monday said that measures should be taken to curb incidents of ragging in colleges and universities.
The apex court directed that ragging should be curbed at any cost. Besides general colleges, those colleges which grant professional degrees should also check incidents of ragging, it ruled.
The court also said that the recommendation of Raghavan Committee, looking into the issue of ragging in educational institutions, must be implemented.
The six-member committee is headed by former CBI Director R. K. Raghavan.

Apex court includes private colleges in anti-ragging ambit

2007-12-16T10:55:00.000+05:30

Apex court includes private colleges in anti-ragging ambit

New Delhi, Dec 10 - Coming down heavily on ragging in colleges, the Supreme Court Monday said its directions issued in May on the menace should be extended to include private, unaided colleges and professional educational institutes as well.

A bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and Aftab Alam said that ragging is plaguing not merely government educational institutions but private educational institutions too and there is no reason why it should be not curbed.

It asked the central and state governments to implement the court's earlier directions to arrest the menace of ragging in private educational institutions, including professional colleges on medicine, engineering, dental science, management, pharmacy and agriculture.

The court directed bodies like the Medical Council of India, Dental Council of India and Bar Council of India to suggest guidelines to it to curtail ragging of junior students by seniors.

It asked educational institutions to include a condition and warning in their admission forms saying that any student found indulging in ragging would be expelled after being given a chance to explain his act.

The bench lambasted the government saying that its earlier directions to do away with ragging did not appear to have made any dent in the situation owing to lack of action by the government.

It asked Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanian, who is assisting the court in the matter as amicus curie, to file a fresh status report on its earlier directions for implementation of the Ragahvan Committee report to check ragging in educational institutions.

In its directions in May, the court had said ragging, which sometimes involves violence, abuse and even sexual harassment, is unacceptable and deserves severe punishment.

Adopt Raghavan panel’s recommendations to check ragging, says SC

2007-12-16T10:52:00.000+05:30

Adopt Raghavan panel’s recommendations to check ragging, says SC
UNI

New Delhi, Dec 10 The Supreme Court today said earlier directions issued by it to check the menace of ragging did not have the desired effects and held that all universities, colleges and polytechnics run by the Centre and the states shall adopt recommendations of the Raghavan Committee.

A bench comprising Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat and Mr Justice Aftab Alam directed all medical, dental, nursing colleges and polytechnics in the country to insert a clause in their prospectus that if the students found indulging in ragging after having been given an opportunity to explain their stand, shall be expelled.

The Court said the Raghavan Committee would examine the list of over 100 cases of torture in the name of ragging in which physically handicapped students were subjected to torture and freshers were being forced to take intoxicating drugs. It directed the Committee to suggest further measures to check the menace as notwithstanding the concerns shown by the court, a large number of instances had taken place.

The apex court said the Raghavan Committee in consultation with universities should prepare fresh norms to be adopted by the educational institutions.

The Dental Council of India, Medical Council of India, Nursing Council of India and agriculture polytechnics under the Union ministry of agriculture as well as state governments should adopt and implement the recommendations of the Committee.

The court also directed amicus curiae Mr Gopal Subramanium to file fresh status report and adjourned the hearing till third week of March next year.

link to report - http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=121133

UGC spares rag-rod

2007-12-01T17:20:00.000+05:30

UGC spares rag-rod
CHARU SUDAN KASTURI
New Delhi, Nov. 27: The University Grants Commission has asked affiliates across India to follow all recommendations of a Supreme Court-appointed committee to curb ragging, but is unwilling to do so itself.

The Supreme Court committee headed by former CBI chief R.K. Raghavan had recommended that funds received by universities be linked to the implementation of anti-ragging measures.

Amid reports of rising instances of ragging, the UGC has decided against implementing the recommendation, seen by committee members and activists as a key weapon in the Centre’s armoury.

UGC officials said the commission does not intend to pressure universities into implementing the Raghavan committee’s recommendations by threatening to snap their purse strings.

“There is no plan to link the performance of universities in curbing ragging to the funding they receive,” a key policymaker at the UGC said.

UGC chairman Sukhdeo Thorat confirmed this. “The measures we are taking are enough,” he said.

Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha yesterday, junior education minister D. Purandeshwari said the government was aware of 70 reports of ragging this year.

According to anti-ragging activists, the figure last year was in the mid-forties — indicating a rise in cases this year.

But the UGC believes it would be next to impossible to implement the recommendation right now. It is learnt that the UGC has not yet informed the Raghavan committee of its decision.

One member of the committee, informed by The Telegraph, said the UGC’s decision was “very disappointing”.

“It is surprising because our aim was to give the Centre a strong weapon to whip those universities which do not take strong anti-ragging measures advocated by the committee,” another member of the committee said.

The Raghavan committee, however, is planning to approach the Supreme Court for ordering the UGC to implement the recommendation, the member said. “Once the court orders the UGC, they will have to follow the recommendation,” he added. The court is hearing the case early December.

Two hauled up for ragging

2007-12-01T17:17:00.000+05:30

Two hauled up for ragging

NEW DELHI: Two separate cases have been registered against two students of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Physically Handicapped for allegedly ragging a freshman. The incident of ragging, which was captured by a first year student of the Institute on his mobile phone camera, was reported last week .

According to the police, a freshman was ragged by an intern, Santosh, on the night of November 17 and the incident was caught on camera by Anshul, a first year student. A complaint was subsequently lodged by the victim the next day.

On November 19, the victim informed the college authorities who in turn suspended the internship of Santosh and asked both the accused to vacate the hostel.

Sources said that on hearing a complaint has been lodged against him, Santosh allegedly threatened the freshman and warned him against reporting the incident.

A second FIR was lodged on November 21 against Santosh for intimidating the victim and forcing him to withdraw his complaint.

When the victim and his batchmates refused to withdraw the complaint, Santosh made a second attempt to threaten them.

Guntur just can’t ‘caste’ it aside

2007-12-01T17:15:00.000+05:30

Guntur just can’t ‘caste’ it aside

GUNTUR: The crackdown on troublesome freaks and casteist forces notwithstanding, there has been an alarming spurt in ragging and caste related clashes in Guntur district of late.

Pitched battles between students of two colleges in Bapatla and an engineering college in Chowdavaram, a slew of police cases, protests and the inevitable political interference have followed one after the other in quick succession.

In Bapatla engineering college, students of a particular section ‘ruled’ that only they could sit in the front rows of the college bus. They flexed their muscles when the others objected.

Six of the injured lodged a complaint with the police which led to the arrest of 16 students, belonging to the upper castes.

The police went on an overdrive and paraded the arrested on the roads. That didn’t help and the situation remains the same in the college.

Some allege that students of a particular upper caste ‘reserved’ the play ground for good. When the other students used the ground, they were attacked and one Gade Vamsi Krishna was severely bashed up on Nov 20.

Acting on his complaint, the cops booked five students but no less a personage than TDP district president Prattipati Pulla Rao entered the scene and got the five culprits released.

Coming to RVR and JC Engineering College on the city outskirts, students of a particular section roughed up Shaik Mujir, son of Guntur MLA Sk Subhani, on November 17.

Police arrested three students, Venkatesh, Chandu and Sriharsha, on the charges of ragging. The incident assumed political colours when the Telugu Yuvata activists staged dharnas and NSUI activists burnt a college bus.

In the case of Bapatla Arts and Science college, a lecturer allegedly divided students as per their castes and religion and allotted them different benches. The students boycotted the classes in protest. The lecturer quietly went on leave.

In RVR & JC college, the students who were victims of alleged ragging were also suspended. The action of the management attracted criticism and Superintendent of Police Mahesh Chandra Ladda promised to take up the matter with the college management.

Speaking to this website’s newspaper, MLC KS Lakshmana Rao said, “college managements should discourage students at the beginning when they try to harass the students of other sections. The menace of ragging cannot be contained by the police alone as the colleges are being set up by particular sections in the coastal and Rayalaseema region.”

SFI former district secretary Nalini Kant felt anti-ragging committees should be formed in the colleges to curb ragging.

An engineering third year student said they used to bear the harassment from students of a particular section, fearing the wrath of the management.

Minister wants anti-ragging bill enforced

2007-12-01T17:07:00.001+05:30

Minister wants anti-ragging bill enforced

Minister of Higher Education Professor Vishva Waranapala stressed the need for enforcing the Anti-Ragging Bill in Parliament yesterday to stop ragging which has become a serious issue.
Speaking during the Committee stage of the Budget in the House yesterday Mr. Waranapala said many parents of university students had written to him requesting him to ban ragging in universities. “This bill needs to be implemented as so many students have suffered mental illnesses because of this menace,” he said.
He said ragging was considered a criminal offence by the Supreme Courts in India. JHU Parliamentary Group Leader Ven Attureliye Ratana Thera who also called for the banning of ragging said this had made the universities similar to Kilinochchi which is controlled by the LTTE through terror. The Venerable Thera said the situation in the universities had become so bad that it had come to a level where the students were the thrashing heads of others who went against their opinion.

70 cases of ragging in 2007-08

2007-12-01T17:07:00.000+05:30

70 cases of ragging in 2007-08

NEW DELHI: Ragging continues to take a toll on students in colleges in the country, with as many as 70 cases of the illegal act, nine of them ending in suicides, being reported in 2007-08.

The court-appointed committee set up for monitoring implementation of the recommendations of the Raghavan Committee on measures for prevention of ragging has come across 70 cases reported in the print media during the current academic year, Minister of HRD D Purandeswari told Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Monday.

"Ragging is reported to be the cause of nine cases of suicide and three cases of serious injuries among these cases," she said.

The Minister said the Central Government has drawn the attention of states and regulatory institutions to the various recommendations of the Raghavan committee.

The HRD Ministry has also launched a media campaign through newspapers.

SFI to set up anti-ragging squads in colleges

2007-11-26T15:18:00.000+05:30

SFI to set up anti-ragging squads in colleges
Sunday November 25 2007 08:52 IST
Express News Service

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THRISSUR: The Students Federation of India will set up anti-ragging squads in all the colleges in order to root out the evil of ragging, SFI state secretary M. Swaraj has said.

Talking to mediapersons here on Saturday, Swaraj said that the SFI would also set up anti-ragging cells in each district.

The SFI will stage a march to the Mannuthy police station on December 4 demanding the arrest of the five senior students of the KAU’s veterinary college at Mannuthy who were accused of ragging a junior student.

He said that the students accused in the ragging cases are not the SFI workers.

Answering a query, he said that the establishment of self-financing professional colleges by the government or under the co-operative sector will help bring down the exploitation of the students by the private self-financing professional college authorities in the state.

[ SAHARA SAMAY ] Two students burnt alive in Gorakhpur

2007-11-24T13:19:00.000+05:30

Posted at Tuesday, 23 October 2007 10:10 IST

Gorakhpur, Oct 23: Two first year students of the Gorakhpur University were burnt alive by some unidentified youths, Sahara Samay sources said. They have been admitted to the hospital with severe burn injuries.

The incident took place at the Sant kabir hostel, where some unidentified youths entered their hostel room, sprinkled petrol on them and set them on fire.

The victims were admitted to a private hospital.

The two were first year students and roommates of Gorakhpur University's Sant Kabir Hostel. The incident took place at around 9 p.m. The two victims have been identified as Meraj Lari, a Muslim student, and Bantu Singh who belongs to a village in Gorakhpur.

They were cooking food in their hostel room when around 10-12 unidentified youths barged in, sprinkled petrol on them and escaped after setting them on fire. The incident is being seen as a planned attack as the rooms of the other students were locked from outside when the attack took place. The other hostellers are in a state of shock after the horrific incident.

Doctors said the two have suffered more than 60 per cent burns. Police said they were searching for the culprits. Asked whether it was a case of ragging, police said it appeared to be a case of old enmity and is being seen as a clash between two groups of the University.

[Greater Kashmir] Stop ragging or we’ll commit suicide: IAMS students

2007-11-24T13:10:00.000+05:30

MIR FAHEEM ASLAM

Srinagar, Nov 22: Scores of students of the Institute of Asian Medical Sciences (IAMS) at Zakura on Thursday threatened to commit suicide if the college authorities don’t rein in the senior students who are ragging the freshers in the college.

The new comers in the college, who have joined the college nearly a month back to pursue a Bachelors degree in Unani Medicine (BUMS) said the final year students of the college have been “ruthlessly ragging” them for the past one month.

The college authorities, they added, have miserably failed to curb the ragging menace in the college. “We are not against interacting with our seniors. We respect them, but they are resorting to hooliganism and the college administration is watching all this haplessly,” the students, wishing anonymity, told Greater Kashmir.

The seniors, they said, are asking boys to “remove and tighten their pants” in front of girls.

“They (seniors) are asking us to perform immoral acts that we can’t explain,” the students said. “We’re humiliated and nobody is coming to our rescue.”

The college authorities, they said, are not paying heed to their grievances, forcing them to seek help of the media persons in curbing the problem. “We’ll commit suicide if this ragging continues,” said a visibly perturbed student, who approached GK with her mother.

“We’ll quit the college if the college authorities do not initiate disciplinary action against the seniors who have unleashed a reign of terror in the college and are harassing the girls unnecessarily.”

The seniors, they added, have asked them to follow “their guidelines” that they have pasted on certain walls of the college building. The guidelines go like this: “Juniors must know that BUMS seniors are never wrong; if any junior creates indiscipline, he or she will move 3-4 steps backwards and then wish the seniors; if any student complains before the college authorities of ragging, they will be rudely ragged; all juniors will call senior boys as sir and senior girls as madam; and finally no students will use his or her cell before any senior.”

“If any student commits suicide, the college authorities will be responsible for it,” they said, adding, they will request the university authorities to derecognize the college if the ragging continues.

“The university authorities must take a strong note of what’s happening in the college,” they said. When Greater Kashmir apprised the Station House Officer (SHO) Zakura about the problem, he promised action. “I haven’t received any written complaint in this regard. The moment I get receive a complaint in this regard, I assure you that we’ll take action against the culprits,” the SHO, Raja Tasleem said.

When contacted, the college principal Dr Khurseed Ahmad Bakshi said that he has constituted special teams to monitor ragging. “If the students will identify the persons resorting to ragging we will certainly take action against them,” Bakshi told Greater Kashmir. “We can’t tolerate ragging in the college.”

[ The Hindu ] Panel to probe ragging at Cusat

2007-11-24T13:07:00.000+05:30

Kerala - Kochi

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: A Syndicate meeting of the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) here on Thursday decided to appoint a sub-committee to investigate the ragging case reported from a campus hostel recently.

The sub-committee will submit its report within a week. P.S. Sreejith, Principal of the School of Engineering, will be its secretary.

Syndicate members voiced their protest against the increasing number of ragging cases on the campus.

The Syndicate was divided on starting a new investigation, with the Registrar and the Pro Vice-Chancellor saying that the university authorities had completed a preliminary inquiry. They highlighted the suspension of 21 ragging accused.

Differences cropped up when the university authorities refused to include ragging on the agenda for the meeting. But the Syndicate members owing allegiance to the Left parties opposed the move and demanded an immediate discussion.

The Syndicate urged Vice-Chancellor in-charge and Higher Education Secretary T.K. Jose to ratify the suspension of Registrar A. Ramachandran. The Registrar was suspended on allegations that he had denied benefits to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students during this year’s admission process. Mr. Ramachandran had denied the allegation.

SC seeks ATR from UGC, MCI and AICTE in ragging case

2007-11-04T10:35:00.001+05:30

SC seeks ATR from UGC, MCI and AICTE in ragging case

29 October 2007

The Supreme Court has directed University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) and Medical Council of India (MCI) to file their action taken report within four weeks, detailing the steps taken by them to check the menace of ragging in educational institutions .

A bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and Lokeshwar Singh Panta, also refused to entertain an application seeking relaxtation in the condition of having 75 per cent attendance for contesting students union elections in a university or a college.

The court told the applicant, " you were given admission for studying and not for indulging in politics at behest of major political parties. You don't want to attend classes but want to indulge in politics and such a situation can not be accepted ." Earlier, while issuing guidelines for checking the menace of physical and emotional torture of freshers in the name of ragging , the apex court had made it clear that " we want students and not goondas in university campus."

Ragging victim identifies 5 senior students

2007-11-04T10:30:00.000+05:30

Ragging victim identifies 5 senior students
Wednesday October 31 2007 03:55 IST
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

THRISSUR: The ragging victim at Mannuthy Veterinary College under the Kerala Agricultural University, Manu, on Tuesday identified five senior students of the college who ragged him in the college hostel last week.

He identified them from the photo album of the students shown to him. The identified students are Praveen P Varghese, Arun Raj MR, Ebin B Mathews, R Assim and Ajas Mohammed.

Manu, hailing from Neyyatinkara, accompanied by R Chandrasekharan, state president of Vaikundaswami Dharmapracharana Sabha and four other officebearers of the organisation met the Ollur Circle Inspector on Tuesday morning and demanded urgent action against the senior students tortured Manu.

They also urged for protection to Manu for continuing his studies in the college. After getting an assurance of action by the police, they met the Dean of Veterinary College putting forward the same demands.

Chandrasekharan said that the response from the Dean on their demand of action was not satisfactory. Manu along with his companions sat on a dharna in front of the Dean’s office for two hours in protest against the Dean’s reaction.

However, the police intervened and showed Manu the photo album of the senior students from which he identified the five students who ragged him.

He said that the police then searched for the identified students in the college hostel. But by the time the police reached the hostel, the students had escaped. Chandrasekharan said that the police had assured them that the culprits identified would be arrested within two days.

Meanwhile, there are reports of ragging of junior students by seniors at Amala Medical College and Research Institute and Vaidyaratnam Ayurveda College in the district.

In the cases of these two institutions, the college authorities have already filed complaints with concerned police stations and investigations are in progress.

Ragging case: KAU suspends 5 students

2007-11-04T10:29:00.000+05:30

Ragging case: KAU suspends 5 students
Thursday November 1 2007 02:46 IST
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

THRISSUR: Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) suspended five senior students of the Veterinary College at Mannuthy on Wednesday in connection with the ragging of a first year student of the college.

The victim identified the five senior students on Tuesday. All the five students are absconding and a search for them is on.

The deadline for submission of the report by a 3-member committee appointed by the KAU to inquire into the alleged ragging was over on Tuesday and the committee is yet to submit the report to the KAU.

KAU Vice-Chancellor KR Viswambharan, when contacted, said that the committee could not complete the inquiry on time due to the non-availability of the alleged victim, who is under treatment at his house in Neyyattinkara.

Five engineering students suspended for ragging

2007-11-04T10:28:00.000+05:30

Five engineering students suspended for ragging

Thrissur (PTI): Five senior students of a private engineering college in the district were on Wednesday suspended on charges of ragging a new entrant nearly two weeks ago.

A new civil engineering student in his complaint had alleged that he was taken to a toilet and humilated by his seniors on October 18, authorities of the Vidya Academy of Science and Technology, said.

The college council decided to suspend the five students.

A case has also been registered against the accused at the Erumapetty police station near here.

AICTE warning against ragging

2007-11-04T10:26:00.000+05:30

AICTE warning against ragging
Monday October 29 2007 13:42 IST
Express News Service

T'PURAM: The All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has issued a warning to technical institutions across the country that action will be initiated against them in case ragging took place in these institutions. The action will include withdrawal of approval if such cases are brought to the notice of the AICTE.

In a recent case, a first year student of the Mannuthy Veterinary College under the Kerala Agriculture University was ragged inside the college hostel. The student unable to bear the ragging of his seniors, attempted suicide by cutting the veins of his wrist. The student belonging to a poor family secured the money to complete his Plus Two by doing manual labour.

The circular assumes significance in wake of the recent cases of ragging reported in various colleges across the State.

According to the circular AICTE/ legal/10(2)/2007 issued by AICTE member secretary K. Narayana Rao ‘ragging in educational institutions in any form is banned under law. ‘‘All the AICTE approved institutions must ensure that ragging does not take place on their campuses in any form. Should such a case be reported or brought to the notice of the AICTE, then the council shall take necessary action including withdrawal of approval’’.

The circular has been published in the website of the AICTE ,www.aicte.ernet.in and also published as advertisement in leading newspapers.

The notice was published in accordance with an earlier Supreme Court verdict that AICTE should take appropriate measure for preventing ragging in technical institutions.

Ragging rampant in Kerala's professional colleges

2007-11-04T10:15:00.000+05:30

Ragging rampant in Kerala's professional colleges

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 29 - An attempted suicide by a first-year veterinary student following harassment by seniors in Kerala led to media reporting about similar cases and highlighting the menace of ragging in the state.

Eighteen-year-old Manu, who worked in paddy fields during his school years to support his family, hoped that his woes would end after he joined the Mannuthy Veterinary College in Trissur earlier this month.

However, harassment by seniors drove him to slash his wrists in an attempt to end his life last week.

'I just could not take all the humiliation. It was too unbearable,' said a sobbing Manu.

Even as authorities were sorting out Manu's case, reports emerged about instances of ragging in two other professional colleges in the state.

On Sunday, two senior students were suspended from the Amala Medical College in Trissur, while five students were suspended from the Pushpagiri Medical College in Thiruvalla for causing mental agony to their juniors.

Reports indicate that the worst affected are students who arrive at these campuses after having done their schooling in the Middle East.

The All India Council for Technical Education has come out with a warning that action would be initiated against the managements of colleges from where cases of ragging are reported.

State Education Minister M.A. Baby told IANS: 'At no cost will our government tolerate such inhuman activities. Irrespective of who is involved, stern action will be taken against the culprits and we are already on the job.

'A mere administrative decision will not be enough to stop this inhuman activity and we will work amongst the society to spread awareness against ragging.'

21 students suspended for ragging juniors in Kochi

2007-11-04T10:12:00.000+05:30

21 students suspended for ragging juniors in Kochi

KOCHI: Cracking the whip against ragging, the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) has suspended 21 senior students of the department of Ship Technology following complaints of the offence against them.

The suspended students are from the third semester and were staying at a hostel in Kochi.

CUSAT Registrar Dr A Ramachandran told reporters here that the students have been suspended, pending an inquiry. If a detailed probe finds them guilty, they would be expelled from the college, he said.

Police are also conducting investigations into the incident relating to ragging of the first semester students in September. The victim students had alleged they had been physiclly tortured and that some were forcibly made to consume liqour in a hotel.

A preliminary inquiry conducted by CUSAT officials has found that the junior students were physcially tortured by their seniors from September 4 to September 14.

Following the ragging incident, at least five students have dropped out of the course.

Student lodges ragging complaint

2007-11-04T10:10:00.000+05:30

Student lodges ragging complaint

BEHRAMPORE: A student of Murshidabad College of Engineering and Technology (MCET) has lodged a complaint of ragging at Behrampore police station against eight third-year students on Saturday.

Arif Iqbal, the second-year student, alleged that the seniors had demanded Rs 600 from him a few days ago. But he had refused. Things came to a head when they blocked his way while he was going for a class on Thursday and again demanded the amount. But Arif stood firm. This prompted the students to pounce on him and bash him up. Arif suffered facial injuries and his spectacles were broken.

MCET principal Dibyendu Ghosal, however, pleaded ignorance and wondered as to why Arif did not inform him of the matter before going to police.

"I do not know why Arif went to the police first before intimating me anything about the matter. We will set up a committee to probe into the matter. I will request the police not to start an inquiry before we start our investigation," he said. However, deputy superintendent of police (headquarters) Santo Mitra ruled out the option. "We are not bound to keep the principal’s request. If Arif has lodged a complaint, police will start an investigation," he added. "I went to the police first as I was frightened," Arif said.

Five students arrested in connection with ragging

2007-11-04T10:07:00.000+05:30

Five students arrested in connection with ragging
Thursday November 1 2007

THRISSUR: In connection with the alleged ragging of a junior engineering student, Christo, by the senior students of Vidya Academy of Science and Technology at Kurumal in the district, the police arrested 5 senior students of the college on Wednesday.

Vadakkancherry Circle Inspector said that the students, accompanied by their parents surrendered before him at the police station. He said that they were released on bail later.

Bhopal college principal denies ragging incident

2007-10-28T18:43:00.000+05:30

BHOPAL: The principal of Institute of Hotel Management in Bhopal, S Rajamohan, said he had suspended eight third-year students for a fortnight for the ragging incident. Five of them have been rusticated from the girls' hostel. However, he maintained it wasn't ragging but an argument that turned nasty.

SP Anant K Singh told TOI, "We are still conducting investigations. You can expect arrests soon. The case registered is under bailable sections but they will be arrested."

The police have registered a case under sections 294 (obscenity), 323 (causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of IPC on Thursday.

When TOI visited the hospital, the victims - Vinima Gautam (19) from Delhi and Puja Punia (18) from Agra - refused to speak on the issue.

Police said 17 freshers were "ordered" by their seniors to gather in room No. 27 of the hostel around 9.30pm on Wednesday. The seniors began asking them "embarrassing" questions.

When the freshers didn't reply, they were abused. The seniors allegedly threatened to beat them up and said they would "fail" them in examinations if they didn't obey. All 17 first-year students were made to stand in a line for the next two hours. Around midnight, two of the freshers collapsed.

Vinima's father, V L Gautam, who arrived in Bhopal on Thursday, told reporters that the college management was wrong in saying that his daughter wasn't a victim of ragging.

Engg student kills self, family blames ragging

2007-10-28T18:41:00.000+05:30

LUCKNOW: A first-year student of a polytechnic in Pratapgarh died of alleged poisoning early Tuesday, a few days after he told his parents about a ragging ordeal he faced at the hands of senior students. The family of Amit Tiwari, 22, who was studying mechanical engineering at the Government Polytechnic, filed a complaint with the police saying he had been killed by his seniors for going to the authorities against ragging.

Police said Amit was admitted to the civil hospital in Pratapgarh on Monday evening after he complained of vomiting and stomach pain. He was then taken to the Swaroop Rani hospital in Allahabad when his condition deteriorated, but died before being admitted there at around 2 am.

Amit's brother Arun told TOI that during his visit to his family in Unnao on October 10, Amit told him that he was being ragged by his seniors. "He said the juniors were made to strip in front of others and were beaten up when they resisted," Arun said. Polytechnic officials, however, denied that the death was linked to ragging.

Ragging claims another life

2007-10-28T18:40:00.000+05:30

Lucknow, Oct 17: Unable to cope with his daily ragging, another student ended his life by consuming poison in Pratapgarh, Sahara Samay sources said.

Amit, a first-year student of a polytechnic in Pratapgarh, died of alleged poisoning early on Tuesday.

Amit's wailing mother told that her son, who had gone back to his college a couple of days ago from his native place Unnao, had been constantly subject to ragging by his seniors.

The family of 22-year-old, who was studying mechanical engineering at the Government Polytechnic, filed a complaint with the police saying he had been killed by his seniors for going to the authorities against ragging.

On the other hand, the principal of the college has said that ragging is not the reason behind Amit taking the extreme step. He further said that he himself inspects hostel and college rooms from time to time to check ragging.

Meanwhile, police has lodged a case and is probing it.

Bhopal medical students boycott classes, fearing ragging

2007-10-28T18:39:00.000+05:30

Bhopal medical students boycott classes, fearing ragging

Bhopal, Oct 19 (IANS) Over 140 students of the Gandhi Medical College here have stopped attending classes for fear of being ragged by their senior students.

All students have stopped going to the college since reports of beating up of three first-year students last week. "They are afraid of being tortured by ragging," said a first-year student who preferred not to be named.

The college management refuted the charge and said all students have gone home for the festivals over the past fortnight.

"It is a general practice seen every year during this season. The question of ragging in this college doesn't arise," said Jeevan Singh Meena, President of the Central India Junior Doctors Association (Central JUDA).

Gandhi Medical College dean Nirbhay Srivastava, however, regarded student absenteeism as an of indiscipline and said: "It is gross indiscipline. The parents of these students are being informed, and we may seriously think whether to allow them to appear in the exams."

Madhya Pradesh has seen a string of cases of ragging in recent times.

Eight girls were arrested for ragging at a local hotel management institute here earlier this month while a student committed suicide in Indore, alleging harassment from his seniors.

Three held for ragging in Bangalore

2007-10-28T18:37:00.000+05:30

BANGALORE: Two nursing students and a warden have been arrested for ragging 14 first-year nursing students. Police are on the look-out for four other accused, who have fled to Kerala.

The incident occurred at VVS College of Nursing at Kengeri Satellite Town on Tuesday. The arrested are V T Verghese (53), the warden, Shireen Raj (20) and Aadesh T Raj (20), both students. Jeopav, Litto Anthony, Thomas Mathew and Albin Jose are on the run. The accused students dragged the juniors out of their rooms and asked them to strip and dance.

The juniors were then slapped and hit with belts. The episode took place in front of the warden. After learning about the incident, the college principal lodged a complaint.

Ragging at Surat Medical College

2007-10-28T18:31:00.002+05:30

Surat, Oct 23: In spite of Supreme Court guidelines, ragging is going on unabated in medical and engineering colleges across India. One such incident came to light at the Government Medical College of Surat.

The first year students were beaten black and blue in the name of ragging after midnight.

The victims are in a state of shock after the incident.

Talking to the channel, one of the students said that they were subject to brutal beating by their seniors at for an hour between 2:30 am and 3:30 am.

Taking the matter seriously, the college administration has suspended 10 senior students of the college for a month, they added.
Several students have ended their lives due to cruelty of their seniors in the name of ragging in medical and engineering colleges across the country in recent months

Case registered against vet students for ragging

2007-10-28T18:31:00.001+05:30

Case registered against vet students for ragging

Thrissur, Oct 23: Police have registered a case against five students of the Veterinary College in Mannuthy here, following a ragging incident in the college hostel, that led to suicide attempt by the "victim".
Police said Manu, a first year student at the college and native of Neyyattinkara, attempted suicide by cutting a vein in his arm.

He was admitted to the Private Jubilee Mission Hospital here.

Kerala Agricultural University Vice Chancellor K R Viswambaran said stringent action would be taken against those found guilty.

A committee would be appointed to monitor the situation regarding ragging incidents, he added.

--- UNI

Ragging heat on principal

2007-10-28T18:25:00.001+05:30

Ragging heat on principal
OUR LEGAL REPORTER
Calcutta, Oct. 24: The high court today dismissed an engineering college principal’s petition to reconsider its order to provide round-the-clock security to a ragging victim.

The principal of Mallabhum Institute of Technology in Bishnupur, Bankura, pleaded that it was near impossible for him to ensure first-year student Soumya Roy’s security through the day and sought respite from the responsibility.

But vacation judge Justice B. Somadder would not have any of that. The administration and the judiciary should be more active in eradicating the evil of ragging, he said.

Soumya, from New Barrackpore, who went to study electronics at the institute, about 230km from Calcutta, had been confined to a hostel room for three days and allegedly forced to take drugs.

Justice Somadder had passed the order on principal Sunil Kumar Roy when the boy’s father sought his transfer to any other engineering institute. But there is no rule allowing a student’s shift from one private college to another.

The judge asked Roy to take special care to ensure that Soumya was not ragged again and added that he would be held responsible in case of a rerun of the torture.

Ragging victim demands justice

2007-10-28T18:23:00.000+05:30

Ragging victim demands justice

Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A veterinary student who tried to end his life after being allegedly ragged by his seniors at his college at Mannuthy in Thrissur district recently has demanded immediate action against those who had tormented him.

At a press conference here on Friday, M. Manu, hailing from Punnakkad near Neyyattinkara, said the authorities should create an atmosphere that would enable him to go back to the college soon.

“I want to complete my studies. I hail from a poor family and had joined the veterinary college the hard way. But I can go back to the college only if the authorities offer protection to my life because those who had ragged me had threatened to kill me if I made their harassments public,” Mr. Manu said.

Abuse to community

He alleged that those who had ragged him had also abused the Nadar community to which he belonged, apart from forcing him to engage in unnatural sex and showering abusive words on him.

He did not know the names of the students who had tormented him, but would be able to identify them.

R. Chandrasekharan, State chairman of the Vaikunda Swamy Dharma Pracharanasangam, who was present, said his organisation would launch intense agitations if those who had perpetrated the heinous crimes against Mr. Manu were not brought to book soon.

To submit memos

He said the organisation would submit memorandums to the Chief Minister and the Home Minister to ensure that Mr. Manu, son of a poor weaver belonging to the Nadar community, was able to continue his studies peacefully. S. Mohanan, father of Mr. Manu, was present.

Ragging in engineering college

2007-10-28T18:20:00.000+05:30

Ragging in engineering college

An 18-year-old student, son of a city sub-inspector, doing his first year aeronautical engineering in a private college in the city, was allegedly beaten up by his seniors who ragged him in the college bus while they were returning from Pondichery. Fellow students admitted him to the Balaji Hospital in Guindy where he was given first aid.

[ToI] Engg student kills self, family blames ragging

2007-10-19T00:08:00.000+05:30

17 Oct 2007, 0106 hrs IST,Pervez Iqbal Siddiqui,TNN

Police said Amit was admitted to the civil hospital in Pratapgarh on Monday evening after he complained of vomiting and stomach pain. He was then taken to the Swaroop Rani hospital in Allahabad when his condition deteriorated, but died before being admitted there at around 2 am.

Amit's brother Arun told TOI that during his visit to his family in Unnao on October 10, Amit told him that he was being ragged by his seniors. "He said the juniors were made to strip in front of others and were beaten up when they resisted," Arun said. Polytechnic officials, however, denied that the death was linked to ragging.

Link to Report

[ Herald Tribune ] Malaysian army probes recruits' alleged abuse, warns against ragging

2007-10-19T00:03:00.000+05:30

The Associated Press
Published: October 17, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: The Malaysian army is investigating claims by two recruits that they were abused by senior officers, a top official said Wednesday, as he warned of severe punishment for bullies in the force.

Zarul Fahmi Shabsuddin, 20, alleged he was forced to drink weapon cleaning fluid while Khairul Azzuwan Zainal Rashid, 19, claimed he was scarred after an officer cut his arm with a knife, said Lt. Gen. Mohamad Effendi Mustafa, commander of the army's first division infantry.

The two recruits, from a military camp in Sarawak state on Borneo island, filed complaints with police late last month, he said.

"We don't accept any ragging ... we don't tolerate such nonsense. We are investigating the allegations and (anyone found guilty) will get into trouble. They will be punished," Effendi told The Associated Press.

Investigations are expected to wrap up this month, he said.

Zarul and Khairul are on leave for the Eid al-Fitr holidays but are expected to return to the camp this weekend, he said, adding that no one has been suspended so far.

Allegations of abuse are not uncommon in the Malaysian army.
Last week, another family lodged a report, asking police to investigate the death of their son in August in an army camp in southern Negeri Sembilan state.

The army has said Norrafizul Abdul Rahim died after falling from a four meter (13 feet) high fence, but the family claimed the post-mortem report showed their son had 25 injury marks on his body caused by blunt objects, local reports said.

Four students eyed in UNH hazing incident

2007-10-17T10:46:00.000+05:30

Four students eyed in UNH hazing incident
Updated report

By AARON SANBORN
Democrat Staff Writer

DURHAM — Four students are under investigation by the University of New Hampshire police for an alleged hazing incident on Monday night.

Police say a male Army ROTC cadet had been left tied up in the bucket of a utility truck on Boulder Field shortly after 11 p.m. Police officers patrolling the area found the student after pulling over a vehicle leaving the field.

Three first-year cadets were in the vehicle and when questioned disclosed to the officer that a senior cadet was tied up in the utility bucket truck. All four students are now being investigated.

The student was uninjured and fully clothed, said Deputy UNH Chief Paul Dean. How long the student was tied up and how he was tied up was not disclosed. The student's participation in this incident was voluntary, Dean said.

The cadets were part of an informal, unrecognized student organization called The Tenth New Hampshire Volunteers. The organization contains 23 ROTC cadets who perform community service, said University spokesperson Kim Billings. Since the school doesn't recognize the organization, it doesn't have a faculty adviser.

"The alleged hazing incident involving our cadets is not representative of the ROTC program or the university," said Lt. Col. Michael Carlino, UNH professor of military science, in a statement. "The students involved were acting well outside the purview of the department and in total absence of any of the instructors' knowledge. Any form of hazing is inconsistent with the principles of leadership and judgment that we try to instill in our cadets and we will not tolerate or condone such behavior."

Police hope to conclude the investigation by the end of the week.

"I can't remember the last time we had a hazing incident at the university," Dean said. "We take any hazing incident seriously, the psychological effects on anyone being hazed can be devastating. We will act directly and swiftly."

Hazing is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,200 fine. The students could also face action from the college, depending on the results of the police investigation, Billings said.

"We could also take them through the Student Conduct Board, which could result in community service or suspension," Billings said.

Freshers get extra shield

2007-10-17T10:43:00.000+05:30

HYDERABAD: Separate buses, separate messes, and staff doing the rounds to keep a protective eye on them. Yes, engineering colleges are going that extra mile to keep the freshers away from the seniors to prevent any incidents of ragging on campuses.

With the new academic year having begun, the administrative wing of many colleges are geared up to prevent ragging. Several colleges have segregated the juniors, including introduction of separate lunch timings so that students do not meet in the canteen or anywhere on the campus. In Vasavi College of Engineering and Nizam’s Institute of Engineering, separate buses are being used to ferry the freshers.

"We are plying separate buses for freshers so that even when they are not on the college premises there will not be any kind of ragging. The extra care is being taken as we do not want any student to be a victim of any kind of pranks," Vasavi College, principal, D Changal Raju said.

Vasavi College has even put the faculty on weekly duties to roam around in the college premises. They have been asked to keep an eye on the students, especially near the parking place, gate, college canteen and also the less frequented places by the students.

Though the college means well, such practices are not very popular among the students. Many students feel that regulations in meeting only increases the differences between various batches. "There will be no sense of unity among the consecutive batches. We will not be able to come together for any kind of competition or other events where the college has to be represented," said, a third year student of Vasavi College, Raghav Jhawar.

Raghav is confident that there will be no case of ragging in his college even if there aren’t any restrictions. However, the college administration feels that it is better not to take a chance and be on the safe side.

Apart from the general preventive measures, CBIT has even introduced separate mess for junior students where the seniors are not allowed. At least two faculty members are posted at the entrance of the mess. "We have staff who are on duty in the buses as well. Staff members stay put after college hours so that students do not stay back to rag," CBIT principal, B Chenna Kesava Rao said.

The freshers feel that though the institutions were going overboard with their protection they are happy with some of the arrangements. "It is nice to know that the college cares for us. We get a protected feeling," a fresher from CBIT, Sri Ramkishore said.

While the colleges are employing their own strategies to prevent ragging they are also trying to involve the police. The colleges have distributed pamphlets with phone numbers of the police.

They have also asked the police to stay put at public places near the colleges, including bus stops where there is a possibility of students to meet.

The restrictions in the colleges will continue till the freshers’ day where the first year students will be formally welcomed and introduced.

Eight girls accused of ragging arrested in Bhopal

2007-10-17T10:42:00.000+05:30

BHOPAL: Eight college girls accused of ragging their juniors at a management institute were arrested in Bhopal on Monday.

The girls, all students of Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), arrived at the Kamla Nagar police station with their parents and surrendered. They were arrested and later released on bail, police station in-charge R S Goraiyya said.

After the case of ragging was reported, the girls were suspended from the college and a fine of Rs 2,000 was imposed on each of them. Five of the accused were also suspended from the college hostel.

The complainants alleged in their report that they were humiliated by their seniors who asked them indecent questions.

They also alleged that the seniors forced them to stand for nearly two hours late in the night on October 3, following which two of them fell unconscious and had to be admitted to a private hospital.

Institute Director Rajamohan said strict action has been taken against the accused girls and they and their parents have tendered an unconditional apology for the ragging incident. A report was also submitted to the chairman of the Institute in this regard for further action.

Police had booked the girls for physical abuse and manhandling their juniors in the name of ragging.

The accused were identified as - Kawalpreet Kaur, Jaisline Maria Pinto, Neha Khanna, Dipti Mirke and Hina Ishaq Mohiddin (all hailing from Mumbai), Upasana Goel (Delhi), Rohini Oberoi (Bareilly) and Shubhi Walia (Hyderabad), he said.

College suspends students in Greater Noida ragging case

2007-10-17T10:40:00.000+05:30

Greater Noida, October 12 The six students alleged to have stripped and burnt a first year student at the Apeejay Institute of Architecture and Planning were today suspended from the college. The students — Aditya, Aakash, Farhan, Naman, Prashant and Subur — had allegedly sprayed deodorant and burnt the private parts of Prashant Kumar Agrahi on October 4 in the college hostel.
B R Zaidi, Station House Officer of the Kasna Police Station said, “The boys are absconding and have left the college hostel. We have formed teams to trace them and they will be arrested soon.” The victim said he was earlier also beaten up, stripped, made to dance and later hung from the balcony of one of the higher floors. The decision to suspend was taken after the boy’s father Dhruv Prasad Agrahi approached the police on Thursday, police said.

Agrahi had approached a local television channel and got a complaint registered with the Kasna Police Station, where a case of rioting, criminal intimidation, willfully causing injury and illegal confinement was registered against the accused.

D Rajvanshi, chief of the anti-ragging cell, said, “Keeping in mind the serious nature of the crime, we decided to take such an action. It will also act as a deterrent for other students of the college.” Dhruv Prasad said, “It is important that no student is subjected to serious physical and mental torture in the name of ragging.”

The victim, who is in a state of shock, said, “I was too scared to approach the college authorities. They had threatened me with dire consequences.” He told the authorities and his father about the incident on Monday.

Student harassment goes on: Noida is new entrant to the list

2007-10-17T10:39:00.000+05:30

Oct 12: When in May this year Supreme Court gave its ruling on Ragging after taking into consideration the recommendations by Raghavan committee we took a sigh of relief in the hope that now this evil could be weeded out from the academic premises and now students can go to colleges without any fear for ragging as there will be mechanisms to handle the violators of the conduct.

To be sorry, hopes were weakened if not belied as I came across various incidents where students dared to overlook the ruling of the Supreme Court and indulged in the crime playing with the life of junior students.

Our students are so badly affected by this leprosy of mind that they lose every reasoning ability and sentiment and moral obligation to respect other’s personality and observe certain norms of humanity. I am horrified that this disease has affected every corner of the country.

No this claim is not void. There are stats to support this claim. During recent months the incidents of ragging were reported from Lucknow, Agra, Bhopal, Indore, Delhi and now welcome new entry Noida.

A quite heinous incident on ragging has been reported from the APJ institute of Greater Noida in which seniors stripped the juniors and made them dance. They also burnt the private parts of the victims. Prashant, a Delhi resident and a student of B.Architecture registered a complaint in police station against seniors when Management did not became active in spite of his complaint and tried to suppress the issue.

This was not enough, to disown any responsibility and escape any punishment they also made them write a suicide note and threatened with dire consequences in case they reveal the incident to anyone. The darker side is that all the students who were misbehaved did not come forward to voice against it.

On the other hand the director told that management has ordered the investigations of the matter at its level.

Some days ago a student, Abdul Bahav was thrown from the third storey of the hostel building of an engineering college in Agra which ended with the breaking of both of his legs and injuries in the backbone. Just a week ago four students were expelled from the Stephen’s college Delhi for allegedly ragging the juniors though college denied it was a ragging incident. In Indorea student named Durgesh Shukla an MCA student committed suicide due to ragging. In Lucknow Sanjay Pal Singh had his nervous break-down due to the harassment. List is not over. Even in Bhopal, hotel management college eight students were suspended over ragging of juniors.

There is one more aspect of some of the incidents. Agra college management claimed that the incident with Abdul Bahav was not a case of ragging but personal fight of students. The principal of St. Stephen’s college also rejected that students have been suspended due to any case of ragging. Most of the time if not always college also tries to cover up the situation.

What is needed courage by the students to resist such practice, strict implementation of the directives by the Court and establishing proctorial board at college level, a complaint box in every college and special watch at the start of new session.

To deter it, expulsion from the college, taking back the degree and fine can be imposed on the student. And as the court suggested there should be incentives for curbing the menaces well as disincentives for the institution if fails to do so. We also need to weed it out from our psyche. This reflects a sick psyche not the civilized one.

Noida ragging: Six students suspended

2007-10-17T10:38:00.000+05:30

Noida, Oct 12: As many as six students of a technical institute in Greater Noida were suspended today for brutally ragging a first year student and virtually forcing him to tighten the noose around his neck to end his life, Sahara Samay sources said.

Prashant Agrhari, a first year student at APJ Institute of Technology and Management in Greater Noida, was first paraded naked in the college premises by his seniors during a ragging session. Later, he was asked to hang himself by them and before that he was forced to write a suicide note, they said.

The incident took place on Oct 4.

When the matter came to light with the intervention of media, college administration swung into action and set up an inquiry committee to look into the accusations levelled by Prashant, the sources added.

Several incidents of nasty ragging have come to light of late and a number of innocent students have lost their lives due to it.

Raman Singh Urges Students to Keep Chhattisgarh Ragging Free

2007-10-17T10:36:00.000+05:30

Raman Singh Urges Students to Keep Chhattisgarh Ragging Free

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh Thursday told the higher education and technical education departments to ensure that no new student is mentally or physically harassed by seniors.

TN medical college suspends three for ragging junior

2007-10-17T10:35:00.000+05:30

Dr K A P Viswanathan Government Medical College has suspended three third year MBBS students for allegedly ragging a junior student of the college a couple of days back.Official sources said, based on a complaint from the affected student's father, who is working as a Professor in a private college here, the college administration conducted an enquiry over the incident and cornered three third year MBBS students residing in the college hostel for their involvment in the crime. The students admitted the crime.Following this, the administration sent a detailed report to the Director of Medical Education (DME) Chennai and based on the direction from the DME, the students were suspended, the sources added. They, however, refused to divulge the names of the suspended students.

'Ragging' for a cause

2007-10-17T10:24:00.000+05:30

'Ragging' for a cause

While St Stephen's College, Delhi University (DU), struggles with its on-campus ragging fracas, a group of students from the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), DU, have come up with a way to interact with freshers in a healthy manner. Their version of ragging is a `silent’ (mock) auction that they organise every year, wherein freshers are invited to bid.

On offer at the auction is a range of social meetings with seniors, including coffee dates, counselling sessions and even bike lessons for the fresh batch. The money collected at the auction is used for social causes.

"The bike lessons on offer had many takers, especially from girls," says Raman Dhaliwal, second year student at FMS. Adds Ashish Agarwal, president, Vihaan, FMS' social cell, "Customised homemade food for a week at only Rs 500 was a steal, as was the unlimited chocolate cake and ice-cream treat for Rs 270. It was exciting to have 200 freshers trying to outbid each other."

The event is also a novel way of contributing to society. Informs Neha Bhujang, second year student at FMS, "The fact that we collected around Rs 21,000 during the three-hour event shows how successful the idea is. This year, the highest bid was made for 'Financial Accounting Sessions' conducted by a senior."

The event also helps students to get interested in corporate social responsibility that is gaining popularity among employers. Adds Abhishek, a third year student at FMS, "This year too, Vihaan, our social cell, has decided that the money will be utilised for girl child education, as illiteracy especially of women is a roadblock to our growth."

Link to report : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Education/Ragging_for_a_cause/articleshow/2458331.cms

Engg student kills self, family blames ragging

2007-10-17T10:11:00.000+05:30

Engg student kills self, family blames ragging

LUCKNOW: A first-year student of a polytechnic in Pratapgarh died of alleged poisoning early Tuesday, a few days after he told his parents about a ragging ordeal he faced at the hands of senior students. The family of Amit Tiwari, 22, who was studying mechanical engineering at the Government Polytechnic, filed a complaint with the police saying he had been killed by his seniors for going to the authorities against ragging.

Police said Amit was admitted to the civil hospital in Pratapgarh on Monday evening after he complained of vomiting and stomach pain. He was then taken to the Swaroop Rani hospital in Allahabad when his condition deteriorated, but died before being admitted there at around 2 am.

Amit's brother Arun told TOI that during his visit to his family in Unnao on October 10, Amit told him that he was being ragged by his seniors. "He said the juniors were made to strip in front of others and were beaten up when they resisted," Arun said. Polytechnic officials, however, denied that the death was linked to ragging.

FIR against college management, students in ragging incident

2007-10-09T10:08:00.000+05:30

FIR against college management, students in ragging incident

4 October 2007

A case has been registered against the management of an engineering college and four students after a second year student was grievously wounded, when he was pushed off the third floor of a college building by his seniors.

On Monday evening, Abdul Wahab -- a B Tech II year student at the Anand Engineering College here -- was beaten black and blue by his seniors, who also snatched Rs 3,000 from him.

When the victim told them that he would complain to the principal, the accused allegedly pushed him off the third floor of the college building.

Abdul was rushed to a closeby hospital, where his condition was stated to be serious.

This morning, FIRs were lodged against the management of the Anand Engineering College and four unidentified students.

Taking cognizance of the episode, the district administration has directed all colleges of the Taj City to take necessary steps to prevent any ragging incident.

Meanwhile, Abdul's father alleged his son had became a victim of ragging.

However, the college administration denied any ragging incident.

link to report : http://www.indlawnews.com/B9EBB185BF020AD9FF7037C6BAF5B7A3

‘Legal teeth for ragging panel’

2007-10-09T09:54:00.000+05:30

‘Legal teeth for ragging panel’
With about 53 cases of ragging reported from different parts of the country this year, the government is considering giving legal backing to recommendations of the Raghavan Committee report to check the menace.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has mooted a proposal to make changes in the UGC Act to provide for action against institutions not following the Raghavan Committee’s recommendations.

The committee had reco
mmended to the Supreme Court earlier this year that an FIR should be registered against students accused of ragging and the institutions should set up a mechanism to prevent ragging in campuses and hostels.

In absence of any legal backing, the UGC found that it cannot force institutions to implement its recommendations.

As in the case of the recent ragging in St. Stephens College, the UGC can only seek a report and advise the institution to follow the recommendations. “We cannot even withhold the financial grant,” a UGC official commented, when asked about the commission’s powers to check ragging.

Now, the UGC is looking at providing legal backing to the Raghavan Committee recommendations in the UGC Act to make them effective. “We are considering a proposal in this regard,” said UGC member-secretary Tilak Raj Khem. Once finalised, it would be forwarded to the HRD ministry for final approval, he added.

Before a legislation on ragging, penal provisions against those running fake universities could come into force. The UGC has already submitted a proposal to the HRD ministry to enhance the fine for setting up a fake university and incorporate a provision for a jail-term. Under the present UGC Act, only a fine of Rs 1,000 can be imposed.

“A jail-term would be a deterrence to set up a university not approved by the UGC,” Khem said.

link to report :http://www.hindustantimes.com/storypage/storypage.aspx?id=29c3131a-3d9b-485c-af06-107c4fe061d7&MatchID1=4578&TeamID1=7&TeamID2=3&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1148&PrimaryID=4578&Headline=%e2%80%98Legal+teeth+for+ragging+panel%e2%80%99

Bhopal: Ragging turns into nightmare

2007-10-09T09:52:00.000+05:30

Bhopal: Ragging turns into nightmare

The son of a farmer, 18-year-old Vishal, wanted to be an engineer. A few months ago, he took admission in a private engineering college in Bhopal to pursue his dream.

His father was happy even if he had to struggle to fund his son's education.

But now, Vishal wants to go back home. He says he and other first-year students were ragged for a month by seniors in the hostel. His head was tonsured and his moustache shaved off.

But things got worse last week when he and other freshers were stripped and made to dance. Those who failed to comply were brutally beaten up.

Unable to take it anymore, Vishal called up his father.

''They would make us strip and dance and then would beat us up. This happened not only with me but with other students as well,'' said Vishal Sharma, ragging victim.

Vishal's father has lodged an FIR but no arrests have been made so far.

Students claim they repeatedly complained to the warden but no action was taken.

Now in an apparent damage control exercise, six students have been suspended and an inquiry ordered.

''We are investigating the matter. Action will be taken against all those who are guilty,'' said Mubin Khan, Administrator, Utkarsh Hostel.

Recently, a first year MCA student committed suicide in Indore allegedly due to ragging. A couple of days ago, two girls of a reputed hotel management institute in Bhopal were hospitalized after they were ragged.

Earlier ragging was a harmless way to break the ice with the newcomers.

Unfortunately now it has turned into a nightmare for many. Despite strict anti ragging guidelines by the Supreme Court, the menace continues.

link to report : http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070028607&ch=10/8/2007%208:48:00%20AM

Bhopal College Principal denies ragging incident

2007-10-09T09:48:00.000+05:30

8 girls arrested on ragging charges

2007-10-09T09:45:00.000+05:30

8 girls arrested on ragging charges
9 Oct 2007, 0402 hrs IST,Suchandana Gupta,TNN

BHOPAL: For the first time since universities and colleges were ordered by the Supreme Court to crack down on ragging, eight women students were arrested on Monday on charges of ragging juniors, two of whom had to be hospitalised.

Police arrested the eight students of the Institute of Hotel Management in Bhopal for ragging 17 first-years last Wednesday.

Two of the junior students had collapsed after being made to stand for hours while their seniors abused them and asked embarrassing questions.

Five of the eight accused are from Mumbai, one from New Delhi, one from Hyderabad and one from Bareilly. Police said the eight were arrested in the presence of their parents who were summoned by the institute authorities. They were, however, released on bail, police said.

The accused were identified as Kawaljeet Kaur Sethi, Upasana Goel, Neha Khanna, Dipti Mirke, Joseline Maria Pinto, Rohini Oberoi, Heena Ishaq Mohiddin and Shubhi Walia.

The students wouldn't get away without punishment because a day after the ragging took place police had registered a case under Sections 294 (obscenity), 323 (causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of IPC against them.

link to report : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/8_girls_arrested_on_ragging_charges/articleshow/2441185.cms

[ToI] Student ragged, stripped in Bhopal hostel

2007-10-08T14:29:00.000+05:30

8 Oct 2007, 0235 hrs IST,TNN

BHOPAL: A shocking incident of ragging, coupled with an attempt at sexual assault, has been reported to the Madhya Pradesh police just two days after two first-year girl students of the Institute of Hotel Management in Bhopal were hospitalised following an alleged ragging session.

Engineering student Vishal Sharma has charged that his seniors beat him up, tonsured his head and shaved off his moustache on Friday night. They also apparently forced him to consume liquor with them, and made him dance for hours after stripping him - shockingly, they also tried to sexually assault him, according to the case filed.

Police registered a case of physical assault and hurt against the two senior who were involved in the act after the boy's father filed a complaint. One of the accused, Neeraj Kumar, was arrested on Sunday evening. Director of the institute Naeem Khan said eight senior students have been suspended.

The victim, a 19-year-old freshman of BE (Information Technology) at the Sree Institute of Science and Technology, is from Shivpuri district. He is the son of Congress leader in Gwalior-Chambal division Mahendra Sharma. Vishal, whose first semester started just 25 days ago, was staying at the reputed Utkarsh Students' Hostel in Lal Ghati area.

The hostel accommodates around 100 boys - 60 freshmen of the same engineering college, 20 seniors and 20 from other engineering colleges in Bhopal.

"From the beginning, they used to abuse and beat me up for no reason. When I told my father, he said it wouldn't last long. They would drink and force freshers to join them. But on Friday night, their torture crossed all limits," Vishal said.

Vishal said it was not just him but many other freshers too who were subjected to similar treatment. However, some students don't protest because their parents had spent a lot of money for their admission and they could not back out because of the ragging, he said.

Vishal added that two of his seniors - Kunal Chaudhary and Neeraj Kumar - had called him to their room on Saturday morning around 1 am. Traumatised Vishal now doesn’t want to go back to the same college and says he will not stay in a hostel again.

Link to Report

[The Telegraph] Stephen’s ragging: accident or college lore

2007-10-08T13:25:00.000+05:30

CHARU SUDAN KASTURI

New Delhi, Oct. 5: The official website of St Stephen’s College repeatedly refers to ragging incidents as part of college lore, without any condemnation, giving the acts “subtle legitimacy” on campus, anti-ragging activists say.

A first-year chemistry student at the college suffered burns on his hand and knees on September 27 after a bunch of seniors sprayed deodorant and then threw a lit match at him in their hostel room.

The University Grants Commission has said it would ask Delhi University to investigate the case, first reported on Thursday, and file a report.

Rajendra Prasad, a member of a Supreme Court-appointed committee headed by former CBI chief R.K. Raghavan to check ragging, said the incident at St Stephen’s constituted “severe ragging”.

“You may call it a prank, a cruel joke or anything else, but the reality is that it was harassment which has caused physical agony... this constitutes severe ragging,” he said.

College authorities have admitted the victim complained of ragging but said they see the incident as an “accident” during a “game”.

UGC secretary Tilak Ram Kem told The Telegraph that the commission, which controls the purse strings of all central universities, would ask DU for a report.

DU registrar Gurmeet Singh today spoke to the principal, Valson Thampu, on his own asking for an explanation, officials said.

“We have reiterated our position that the incident, though unfortunate, was not one of ragging. Since the victim does not wish to take this matter forward, there is little we can do,” a senior St Stephen’s official privy to the conversation said.

The college authorities say this is the first complaint of ragging at St Stephen’s this year.
But activists working with the Raghavan committee allege that far from being isolated, ragging has been “institutionalised at St Stephen’s”, like at most other colleges.

“The college’s academic record may set it apart from the rest, but when it comes to ragging, it is like any other college. The website proves my point,” an activist who studied at St Stephen’s said on condition of anonymity.

“In those days, ragging was a serious business: there were nights when we slept in drainpipes around Pandara Park instead of going back to college to face our seniors. It was an atmosphere in which legends battened and grew,” author Amitav Ghosh, an alumnus, writes in a light-hearted piece, The Lessons of Rudra Court, on the website.

In another piece, former Pakistani dictator Zia ul-Haq’s days as a student at the college are recounted. “Zia ul-Haq’s (old student 1940-44) novel method of ragging freshers was to parade them down the fields in the middle of the night. He last visited college in 1986. Incidentally, Zia ul-Haq misspelt his name in a leave application to the principal as Zai ul-Haq!” the article on the website says.

Shivam Vij, an activist who runs the website stopragging.org, called the pieces a “reflection” of the administration’s unwillingness to stop ragging.

“The St Stephen’s website effectively tells students that ragging is a part of the college’s culture. On the one hand, the college claims to be curbing ragging while on the other hand, such articles effectively promote it,” Vij said.

Professor Vinod Chowdhury, the media adviser to the St Stephen’s principal, accepted that the “past cannot be used to justify the present”. “I have not seen the web articles myself, but to justify the current incidents based on the past would be unpardonable,” he said.

The college has punished five students in all — four who were responsible for setting the victim on fire, and a fifth who led a group of students in a violent retaliation.

The victim, a Calcutta boy, is now back home with his parents and has said he does not wish any further action to be taken against the students who set him on fire.

Link to Report

[The Statesman] UGC seeks report on ‘ragging’

2007-10-08T13:21:00.000+05:30

Statesman News Service NEW DELHI, Oct. 5: The University Grants Commission (UGC) today sought a report from the capital’s prestigious St Stephen’s College following reports that a student suffered burn injuries in an alleged ragging incident. The UGC has also issued instructions to all colleges and universities to take preventive measures against ragging. “The UGC will write to the college authorities seeking details of the incident. We will also ask them to take necessary action in this regard,” the UGC chairman, Mr Sukhdeo Thorat, said.

Deepayan Mukherjee, a chemistry (honours) student hailing from Kolkata, suffered burn injuries on 27 September after four “inebriated” seniors allegedly sprayed deodorant and threw a burning matchstick on him. According to college officials it was “not a case of ragging” and they were treating the matter as a “closed chapter” as the victim has no complaints. The college has suspended four second-year students allegedly involved in the incident. “It is treated as a closed chapter. Neither the person affected by it nor his father or mother has any complaints,” said the principal, Mr Valson Thampu. Mr Rajendra Prasad, a member of the Raghavan Committee that framed guidelines for dealing with ragging cases, however, said that it appeared to be a case of “severe ragging” as there are marks of injuries on the knees and hands of the student. The victim’s father, Mr Jiban Chakrabarty, said he was satisfied with the college authorities for punishing the culprits. “But at the same time, college officials have to explore more avenues so that such incident do not recur,” he said.

Link to Report

[ToI] Delhi girl in hospital after ragging

2007-10-08T13:06:00.000+05:30

6 Oct 2007, 0452 hrs IST,TNN

BHOPAL: Despite a Supreme Court order against ragging in educational institutions, incidents of harassment of students continue. A Delhi girl, along with a batchmate from Agra, has been admitted to hospital after she collapsed during a ragging session at an institute here on Wednesday night. Just a few days ago a first-year student at Delhi’s St Stephen’s College sustained burn injuries on his hands and knees, and a fresher suffered multiple fractures after he was pushed from the first floor of his engineering college hostel in Agra. MP police have registered a case against eight senior girl students of the Institute of Hotel Management in Bhopal after the two freshers collapsed. The two students have been admitted to a private hospital. However, as with the colleges in Delhi and Agra, institute authorities here have gone into denial mode, terming it an altercation over a fashion show

Link to Report

[Express India] JU ragging: Student unions divided

2007-10-08T13:01:00.000+05:30

Express news service
Posted online: Saturday, October 06, 2007 at 0000 hrs IST
Kolkata, October 05

Jadavpur University (JU) remained on tenterhooks today with students’ unions protesting against the ragging incident, in which five students were punished.
Though classes were not interrupted, tension prevailed on the campus throughout the day.

Representatives of Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students’ Union (FETSU) on Friday resigned from their respective posts. “As students’ representative, we cannot support ragging. We have, therefore, decided to step down,” said one of the representatives.

On the other hand, SFI representatives protested the FETSU’s stand on its decision to reprimand students for ragging.

Uttio Basu, SFI local committee secretary, said that since all the accused students are affiliated to the FETSU, it is putting pressure on JU authorities to let off their members.

Five students in the engineering department were punished for ragging a junior on Wednesday. Two of the accused — Chittaranjan Burma and Milton Baidya of the civil and mechanical engineering departments respectively — were suspended for the coming semester scheduled to begin from January 2008.

Kaji Imam Alam of the chemical engineering department and electronic engineering student Nilanjan Biswas were suspended from the hostel for a year.

The executive council, the university’s highest policy-making body, decided to punish the boys on the basis of a recommendation of the institution’s anti-ragging committee. A first-year student had lodged a complaint with the authorities in the third week of August, alleging that he had been subjected to ragging.

The complaint was forwarded to the anti-ragging committee, which held a month-long inquiry and found the five students guilty.

The FETSU members gheraoed the executive committee members when they were about to decide the penalty for the accused students. The students said that they were protesting against the exam regulations and the publication of the results of the supplementary examinations demanding them to be declared on time.

Rajat Bandopadhyay, Registrar of Jadavpur University, however, claimed that the punishment was nothing severe.

“We took the decision as it might act as a deterrent and the students will not repeat such actions in future,” added Bandopadhyay.

Following a Supreme Court order banning ragging in all educational institutions, the University Grants Commission had made it compulsory for all universities to set up panels to check ragging and bring offenders to book.

Bandopadhyay added that the university is deciding on having a separate hostel for each year.

“The students of all years will be separated and kept in different hostels. Their is a certain possibility of such decision in near future and we will take up the matter in executive committee meeting,” he said.

Link to Report

[IBN Live ] St Stephens students suspended for 'ragging'

2007-10-05T19:52:00.000+05:30

New Delhi: In what appears to be a shocking incident of ragging at the prestigious St Stephens college, four students suspended after they allegedly sprayed a first year student with cologne and threw a matchstick on him.

The student, hailing from Kolkata, has reportedly gone back to his parents.
However, the principal of St. Stephens college Valson Thampu insisted that it was a minor matter appropriately taken care of.

“This was a very minor incident that happened in the residence of the college on the night of September 27. The matter was handled efficiently. It was treated as a closed chapter. Neither the person affected by it nor his parents have any complaints now. The matter should rest,” he said.

Link to Report

Link to CNN - IBN Help for Ragging Victims

[IndLaw] FIR against college management, students in ragging incident

2007-10-05T19:33:00.000+05:30

FIR lodged in Anand Engineering College Ragging.

[The Hindu] APSCHE to make film on ragging

2007-10-05T19:31:00.000+05:30

Link to Report

[Siasat] SP urges teachers to impart moral values to students

2007-10-05T19:28:00.000+05:30

Guntur, October 04: “We have not been ragged by seniors and we have no intention of ragging our juniors,” Nandita, a second year student of Computer Science Department of Vignan Engineering College said during an interaction with Superintendent of Police Mahesh Chandra Laddha on Wednesday.
Senior and junior students of the Anti-Ragging Committee shared their thoughts with the SP who in turn advised them to enjoy their stay on the campus and not to associate with any fan club.
“You may be fighting over the popularity of heroes, while they continue to be best of buddies. If you want to really do something, fight for a good cause,” he told the students.
Referring to sporadic incidents in Tenali, where two groups of students clashed over erecting banners, he cautioned them against associating with any fan club.
While appreciating the college management for taking pre-emptive measures to prevent incidents of ragging, the police official asked professors to devote a part of their teaching for moral values building good personalities.Action promised
Some of the students brought to the notice of the SP incidents of indecent behaviour in RTC buses plying on the college route. The SP responded immediately and said that necessary action would be taken.
Additional Superintendent of Police M. Divakar, College principal V. Vasudeva Rao and senior professors were present.
--Agencies

Link to Report

[The Telegraph] Ragging stick for five sparks furore in JU

2007-10-04T12:44:00.000+05:30

A STAFF REPORTER

Calcutta, Oct. 3: Jadavpur University erupted in rage this evening after authorities decided to punish five students for ragging a junior.

An army of students from the engineering and science faculties staged demonstrations and gheraoed officials for several hours in protest against the decision of the executive council.

“Our friends have been falsely implicated…. We haven’t heard of any complaint of ragging. Our question is how could the authorities take a decision like this when there are doubts over the complaint?” asked Surajit Bhakta, a leader of the engineering and technology students’ union.

Two of the accused — Chittaranjan Burma and Milton Baidya of the civil and mechanical engineering departments, respectively — have been suspended for the coming semester scheduled to begin from January 2008. They will not be able to attend classes or appear in the semester examination. The duo have been rusticated from the hostel along with co-accused Srimanta Kumar Khanra of the mathematics department.

Kaji Imam Alam of the chemical engineering department and electronic engineering student Nilanjan Biswas have been suspended from the hostel for a year.

The executive council, the university’s highest policy-making body, decided to punish the boys on the basis of a recommendation of the institution’s anti-ragging committee. A first-year student had lodged a complaint with the authorities in the third week of August, alleging that he had been subjected to ragging.

The complaint was forwarded to the anti-ragging committee, which held a month-long inquiry and found the five students guilty.

It suggested three categories of punishment for the boys, depending on the gravity of their offence.

Following a Supreme Court order banning ragging in all educational institutions, the University Grants Commission had made it compulsory for all universities to set up panels to check ragging and bring offenders to book.

“The anti-ragging committee has thoroughly probed the complaint and suggested penal measures against the five boys. After examining the committee’s findings, the executive council has unanimously accepted its suggestions,” said Parthapratim Biswas, a member of the council.
After news of the punishments reached the university’s hostels and classrooms around 5pm, students gathered outside the conference hall where a council meeting was on. They demanded that the authorities withdraw their decision.

The meeting ended around 7, but the protesters did not allow the members to leave the hall till late at night.

“The anti-ragging committee did not conduct the inquiry in a democratic manner. We don’t believe the five students are guilty. We will continue our agitation till the authorities withdraw the suspension orders,” said Bhakta.

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Comment from the No Ragging Foundation

The No Ragging Foundation fully supports the University, though we feel that the Punishment awarded should have been much more stringent.

We expect that the agitating students ( the gherao has been withdrawn) will try to understand and co-operate with the authorities to ensure that the guilty are punished.

[The Telegraph] Burning ‘game’ at Stephen’s - Calcutta boy set on fire during suspected ragging session

2007-10-04T12:29:00.000+05:30

Thursday, October 04, 2007
CHARU SUDAN KASTURI

New Delhi, Oct. 3: A Calcutta boy studying at Delhi’s St Stephen’s College has complained to college authorities that he was set on fire during a ragging session.

College authorities have confirmed the episode, which occurred on the night of September 27, but said it was an “accident” and not a case of ragging.

The former student of St Xavier’s School, Calcutta, suffered burns on his hands and knees after seniors sprayed him with deodorant and threw a burning match at him.

A first-year Chemistry Honours student, the boy is now back with his family in Calcutta, the college authorities have told The Telegraph.

The victim reluctantly confirmed the incident, and the burns to his knees and hand, but said he did not wish to pursue the matter further. “Whatever punishment has been handed out to them is more than enough,” he said, speaking from Calcutta. The boy also felt that the match was not thrown with intent to harm him.

Four second-year students who attacked the boy have been penalised, the college authorities said.

“Three of them, who were drunk, have been punished more severely than the fourth,” a senior college official said. The three have been suspended for one year from the hostel, and for a month from classes.

The fourth, who the college authorities say was sober, has been suspended for one month from classes and the hostel — called the “Residence” in St Stephen’s lingo.

St Stephen’s authorities, however, did not agree that the incident is a case of ragging and said it was a “game”.

“Students often play a game... spraying deodorant on their hands, and setting a match to it. It burns at a low temperature, and so does not hurt the skin. They were indulging in the same game,” an administrator said.

The college admits, however, that the victim and his friends did not see the incident as a “game”.
According to the college authorities, a group of the victim’s friends, led by a second-year student, “attacked” the four boys who set him on fire, “dragged them” and “beat them up”.
The second-year student who led the retaliation has also been suspended for one month from classes and hostel.

Under Supreme Court guidelines, put in place by a committee headed by former CBI chief R.K. Raghavan, college authorities who receive a complaint of ragging from a student should “immediately” register a case with police.

“It is recommended that the college authorities should first file a case, and then continue their internal investigation,” Rajendra Prasad, one of the members of the Raghavan committee, said.
If the victim or his parents are not satisfied with the action — or the lack of it — that the college authorities have taken, they can file a second complaint with the college, following which the institute authorities have to go to the police, Prasad explained.

“The victim or his parents can also approach the police directly if the college ignores the second plea. Then the college is also accountable,” Prasad added.

Link to Report

[NDTV] Agra student pushed off college roof

2007-10-04T11:41:00.000+05:30

NDTV Correspondent
Wednesday, October 3, 2007 (Agra)

The Supreme Court may have banned ragging on campuses across country but no one seems to be listening.

A student who recently joined the second year of a private engineering college in Agra is in hospital with a broken backbone and fractures in the leg.

He was pushed from the roof of the college building by his seniors.

Abdul Wahab of Meerut, who is studying at the Anand Engineering College in Agra alleged that he had been ragged frequently by the seniors, who often extorted money from him.

''He had told us earlier also that he was being troubled. He said that students were demanding money. But we somehow managed to persuade him and told him to go back. Boys pulled out some money from his wallet. Our son is in pain. He has suffered multiple fractures,'' said Abdul Inam, father.

The police have registered an FIR in the case.

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[TimesNow Photograph]

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Another Link

[Times of India] Ragging case: Warden faces heat

2007-10-03T18:09:00.000+05:30

NAGPUR: The hostel inmates have lodged strong protest with the vice-chancellor S N Pathan and registrar Subhash Belsare against newly-appointed warden A Undirwade and police for harassing in the allege ragging case. The hostel inmates, however, refuted the allegations of ragging of Gulab Bawanthade and said that it was "personal dispute between him and accused Usmankhan Pathan".

They said that though the dispute is between two students, the police are unnecessarily harassing other students by entering into their rooms without permission and repeatedly questioning them at odd hours. They also alleged that policemen used abusive language and even threatened them with dire consequences, which is not only affecting their studies, but also instilled a sense of fear among them. They also alleged that Dr Undirwade had forcibly took their identity cards by entering their rooms late in the night and even recorded them on camera. They claimed that due to these unusual developments many students have left the hostel.

They threatened that if their harassment from warden and police is not stopped immediately, the university authorities should cancel their registration from the hostel and return their money. The university officials were not available for their comments. The controversy over five-decade-old hostel at Law College Square started when Gulab accused Usmankhan of physical and mental torture inside his room and subsequently lodged a police complaint alleging ragging. Usmankhan was later arrested by the police and released on the bail on Wednesday.

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[KSDK] Student Expelled After Hazing At Illinois School

2007-10-03T18:07:00.000+05:30

A high school hazing incident has outraged residents in the small town of Virden, Illinois. Parents argue the district is not taking the matter seriously.
The incident in question took place September 19. The school's athletic director said four senior football players ganged up on two freshmen in the locker room, and hazed them.

The district would not release any details about what happened, only to say it was serious in nature.

School district leaders learned of the incident from a third party the following day. After all four students admitted to the incident, they were suspended.

Monday night, the School Board held a disciplinary hearing and expelled one of the students, who officials say played a larger role in the hazing.

Parents say they expect more of the district. Parents, including those of students who witnessed the hazing, say the incident was sexual in nature. Virden school officials will not confirm or deny the allegations.

One parent said his son was in the locker room when the hazing took place. "The just told me things that they had never seen before," Brent Williams said. "And they were very, very uncomfortable. Really troubled by it."

The mother of one of the victims, who wishes to remain anonymous, said her son was not physically harmed, but that he remains emotionally scarred from the incident. The mother and other parents want police to open an investigation.

The school district has the option of handling the matter internally. "We told parents that was an option they had, to press charges," Virden Athletic Director Bruce Paisley said.

VIrden's police chief said his department will not investigate until a report is filed. The report, he said, must come from someone directly involved in the incident.

But parents say any complaint involving a crime of a sexual nature should be not be taken lightly.

"It's not just these two kids. All of these kids are ours. We're supposed to protect them. If we can't protect them, who is? Don't trust school to protect our kids," Kim Armour, a parent said.

Armour filed a report Monday afternoon. Virden Police would not confirm Monday night whether it will in fact investigate.

In response to criticism that all four students should be expelled, Paisley said he believes the district acted appropriately.

Monday night, parents said they were especially upset to learn the students who weren't expelled remain on the football team.

Meanwhile, other parents side with the district's handling of the incident. Many parents, who declined to identify themselves, said the punishment was appropriate.

The Virden School District said it will enact measures to ensure a similar incident does not happen again, Paisley said.

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