A suspected ragging incident at the Narayana Junior College, Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad on 22nd October 23, 2008 led to a conflict between two student groups. Problem started when second year student supposed beat up a MPC first year student on Wednesday. The first year student had come early to college to attend special classes when he was followed by the senior and beaten up in public.

While senior was from Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad camp, the former belonged to National Students Union of India (NSUI). According to police statement, the incident was a result of an earlier tiff between the two student organizations

All of us are aware of the fact that ragging is a crime but instead of taking strict actions against the students we can try to bring them in the right path. Most of the ragging incidents generally happen in the college hostels where 1st year students are treated badly by their seniors. Whenever a student lodges a complaint of misbehavior against his or her senior, steps should be taken immediately rather than keeping it on hold for a longer period of time. It has been seen that the irresponsibility of the hostel authorities generally lead to serious problems as they fail to take the right step at the right time. The management of the hostel can arrange a meeting between the senior and first year students and discuss matters related to this in front of them. The students who are found guilty should also be given a chance and if they repeat the same thing again, doors are open for the management to take serious steps.

Here is another horrific incident related to ragging in a college in Rajasthan. According to a recent online news article a group of boys reported thrashed and then stabbed a Dalit student in front of the polytechnic college in the town of Jhalawar in Rajasthan. The incident happened in a ragging attempt whereby the victim refused to give in to the demands of a group of boys.

Such incidents are utterly shameful to say the least. It is high time that such obsolete and barbarous acts be taken seriously and strict action taken against the culprits.

In spite of the fact that most of the colleges are taking serious steps to prevent ragging incidents, many institutions are there which always try to hide the actual case. This is done to save the reputation of the institution. Moreover, the college authorities also find it quite embarrassing. There are incidents in which the college authorities have also tried to put the entire blame on the shoulders of the fresher. The trauma of the students is taken for granted in order to keep things under control. Most of the ragging incidents generally happen in colleges which have hostel facilities. The first year students there generally have a tough time with their seniors. In some of the cases even hostel authorities try to cover up the entire story to prevent harassment. This kind of behavior by the management can lead to serious problems. Therefore, it is necessary for the college and hostel authorities to take up serious steps to prevent any such serious problem.

A few days back another ragging incident occurred in Indore. Some students were even suspended for ragging their juniors in a government dental college. According to the report presented by the college authority seven 1st year students were ragged by their seniors. The juniors were even ragged in the hostel they were staying with. Steps have been taken against the senior students immediately after the authorities were informed about the matter. One of the students has also registered a complaint against the senior students in a city police station. In spite of the strict rules implemented by the Supreme Court of India, ragging incidents still crop up every now and then.

UGC will take a new set of initiatives to curb ragging in college campus. According to reports, UGC members will visit several colleges in teams in regular intervals to monitor how the college authorities implement anti-ragging measures and the anti-ragging squads function.
A set of anti-ragging guidelines are now available with all the colleges in India so that the college authorities can take up necessary measures to crack down on ragging in campus. These college authorities are now accountable for making the college environment healthy and ragging-free. UGC initiative comes as a supervisory excersize in regards to anti-ragging movement.

Ragging in Indian Institutions :Ragging News in India, Campaign against Ragging, Ragging Awareness
http://raggingininstitutes.blogspot.com/

Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/raggingindia/

Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/ragging-in-india

Contact Ragging India: raggingindia@gmail.com

although a lot is being talked about and against ragging. with the new session gearing up world will definitely get to see some incidents which will take place in several institutes of the country, unfavorably and unfortunately..and that is what we call “Ragging”.

its not only that we read in the newspaper and we get to watch these shameless incidents as news in the news channel. yesterday i was so amazed and happy to see, that some youth channel is working a great deal to eradicate this shameful act of Ragging and are spreading awareness in every way possible. the channel will organise and air some talk shows and discussions on and against “Ragging” and also on various issues related to the youth.

people who want to voice their opinion in public and through such a grand stage as the visual medium can go through this website….

http://osdir.com/ml/education.misc.noragging/2006-09/msg00019.html

Despite so many laws against ragging, the freshers are still in a state of constant dilemma from their seniors in college. The need of the hour is to take immediate action when you think you are not being treated right. Before the big bullies can get too far with their antics, put your foot down and let them now you are not going to tolerate their nonsense. If things get too serious, you can also head to the principal’s office.

If ragging be categorised into several classes, one can surely but faintly demarcate the lines between “severe” and “friendly” ragging.

When Ragging as a part of “Introduction” is brought forward to the freshers by their seniors just by asking names, hobbies and their alma mater, very politely and with an acceptable and friendly gesture, its acceptable and healthy at any cost and as they say…”helps in breaking the ice” and give both the new and the old to know each other in a more friendly way.

But, moment the introduction session crosses the line of decency and approval of the people at the receiving end or as we can say the “Freshers”, and when these freshers do not enjoy the question-answer session or feel uncomfortable or uneasy, then the same introduction session can be easily and certainly marked as - what we call “Ragging” - and can be surely and legally notified as “An Offensive Act”.

so what i gather from my experience of my first college day is that, in ragging both seniors and juniors play an equally important role…and is and should be judged from the “Receiver’s End”, no matter how judgemental the seniors try to be in the process.

But at any point of time, if “Ragging” is the word and the act..it should be stopped then and there and not only people involved into the act….anyone who feels any incident “Like-Ragging” around them, should make a move and statement against the same.