The Horror Called Ragging: What is the Punishment? What the SC and UGC Guidelines Say?

The manner in which Dibrugarh Univ has handled the Anand Sharma ragging case raises the pertinent question as to whether the Univ is blatantly flouting UGC & SC norms

Oineetom Ojah

At a time when Assam is condemning the mind-numbing ragging incident reported in Dibrugarh University where some senior students of the state-run University including an ex-student brutally tortured a junior student (Anand Sharma) forcing him to jump off the second floor of the PNGB hostel to escape his torturers, and is now battling for life in ICU, we take a look at the SC and UGC’s stringent guidelines and punishments for ragging in India.

What the Supreme Court said on Ragging:

• SC declared ragging a criminal offence
• Institutions should engage professional counsellors to counsel `freshers’
• Institutions to arrange joint orientation programme of ‘freshers’ and seniors
• In the hostel, the warden should address all students
• Faculty members should dine with hostel residents to instill a feeling of confidence among the fresh residents
• Institutions should have anti-ragging committee, anti-ragging squad. Surprise raids by the squad
• Wardens should be accessible at all times
• Police registration of private lodges, hostels outside campuses

What UGC’s stringent guidelines on Ragging say:

Anyone found guilty of participating or abetting ragging:

• Admission will be cancelled
• Will be suspended from attending classes
• Scholarship/ Fellowship will be withheld or withdrawn
• Will be barred from appearing in exams
• Will be suspended or expelled from hostel
• Will be rusticated for 1 – 4 semesters
• Will be expelled from the institution, barred from admission in other institutions
• Will be fined Rs 25,000 to a lakh
• Barred from representing the institution in any national or international meet, tournament, youth festival, etc.
• The migration/transfer certificate will mention if he/she was punished for ragging
Institutions will have to file FIR and remedial action be completed in a week of the incident
Heads of institutions/Universities to submit weekly reports to VCs on anti-ragging measures

As per UGC guidelines, if an Institution fails to curb Ragging
• Institute will be delisted
• Grants will be withheld
• Institute will be declared ineligible for any assistance
• Institute will be declared lacking minimum academic standards

But given the manner in which the Dibrugarh University authorities handled the Anand Sharma ragging case, many are asking whether it have been handled better in compliance with the SC and UGC guidelines.

Some of the questions that are being asked now –

Was the anti-ragging squad conducting surprise raids, as mentioned in the SC order.
Did the warden of C Block of PNGB hostel take Anand’s written complaint lightly?
Was the warden accessible and available to all at all times, as is necessary as per the SC order.
Why are the 16 of the 18 students (2 have already been picked by the police) involved in the incident being allowed to attend classes, while the UGC guidelines states that anyone found participating or abetting ragging is not just to be expelled or suspended from the hostel, but is to be suspended from attending classes, and rusticated for 1-4 semester.
Had the warden acted on the letter apparently submitted to him by Anand, then Anand might not have been battling for life.

What is more shocking and baffling is that the authorities have expelled 16 of the 18 students involved in the criminal act from the hostel only.

The 16 students can continue to attend classes, as per the Dean’s statement on camera to Northeast Live.

The UGC guidelines clearly states that anyone found indulging in ragging will be suspended from attending classes, not just expelled or suspended from the hostel.

Furthermore, the UGC guidelines also states that the accused will be rusticated for 1-4 semester.

The manner in which the authorities have reacted and responded to the horrific incident and the action taken by them is forcing many to ask, whether the authorities are trying to save anyone?

Meanwhile, the government of Assam has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident and one has to wait till the probe is completed and the report is submitted.

Also Read: Assam Edu Min Ranoj Pegu Cracks the Whip; SOP for Assam Universities & Hostels Soon

Also Read: Dibrugarh University Shocker: Student jumps from hostel building to ‘Escape Ragging’

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