Sensitization of students necessary to end ragging: academics

Exploring reasons behind such behaviour in the wake of recent filing of FIRs against two seniors of the prestigious sainik School in Koderma district, Ranchi University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor, V P Sharan, said the students' unfriendly and brutal behaviour reflects their social and family backgrounds.

''They generally spring from lack of love and kindness and also a culture of showing disrespect to elders,'' Sharan said and advised 'sensitization' of such pupils by the authorities of the institution concerned.

The Director of Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry & Allied Sciences, Amul K Singh, said ragging more often left victims with mental scars which at the slightest provocation tend to manifest itself in violent behaviour.

He felt that stringent measures were required to control the menace
Sharan suggested a revamp of anti-ragging squads in educational institutions with senior students and one or two teachers forming the squad.

“Heavy fines should be imposed on wrong-doers and bar them from appearing in examinations, which will also motivate guardians to try to reform their wards,'' he said regretting how an otherwise innocuous practice of introduction of seniors to freshers in a novel way has been distorted.

The menace has plumbed such a depth that even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had to ask for 'zero tolerance' of the practice at the October 30 Governors Conference in New Delhi.

Ex-Jharkhand police chief R R Prasad held management of the educational institutes ‘responsible’ for such incidents.

“The only reason behind ragging incidents is the deliberate neglect by the authorities.

This is happening despite the Supreme Court’s strictures,” Prasad said and wondered what prevented them stopping the practice the way they regulate examination, education and sports.

Dean (Student Welfare) of St Xavier’s College Jayant Sinha said lack of counselling by the faculty was one of the reasons for the degeneration of an innocuous practice.

“Students come directly in contact with teachers, and not the administrators. Only when things come to notice, the administrators get into action. Rather they should always keep an eye on the campus,” Sinha said and advised the students to be more constructive in their approach by channelling their energy in positive activities.”

Former head of Psychology department at Ranchi University Prof Saheed Hassan agreeing with Sinha's view said, “When a person can’t vent his anger, such things take place and counselling is required to correct suppressed anger which a few of them vented on their juniors in time."

“The cycle goes on and can end only through counselling or debarring the erring students from pursuing further study,'' Hassan said pleading for mandatory appointment of professional psychologists in educational institutions.

Secretary of Indian Medical Association (Jharkhand Chapter) Sekhar Choudhary Kajal said, “During our days in medical college, ragging was a pleasant affair with interactions between a fresher and seniors as there was no physical torture involved.'