DU wants anti-ragging announcements on Metro

When the metro pulls into Vishwavidyalaya station in north campus, the public address system on the train should announce: “This is an anti-ragging zone.”

Delhi University officials say they have put in a request with Delhi Metro to add the one- line warning to the usual announcement, informing passengers where the train has reached. But Metro hasn't responded to that.

“When the 2011-2012 academic session started, we held a meeting on the anti-ragging campaign in the campus. A hard copy of the request letter was sent to then Metro head E Sreedharan of Metro. There has been no response on that yet,” said Manoj Arora, DU's deputy proctor.

According to the official, a one-liner referring to north campus as an anti-ragging zone will be additional help in curbing curb ragging, and make students aware that the practice  is not tolerated in DU colleges.

The colleges have been proactive in sensitising students on ragging. Some have put up banners like the one saying, “We are from Hindu, we do not rag.”  Particularly when the session starts, anti-ragging teams in colleges are constituted to prevent harassment of freshers.

“Ragging is a serious offence, it may even lead to expulsion and a constant reminder about it is the only way to stop activities like these,” said a senior official from Hindu College.
The university officials are planning to send another reminder to Delhi Metro.

But a Metro spokesperson said they have no information about such a request. Students too feel that any kind of reminder against ragging will help make the campus more student-friendly.

“The anti-ragging campaign this year in most DU colleges, specially the popular ones, was very strict. An overall notification like this against ragging at a public place will be useful, apart from colleges doing their bit on it,” said Vineet Chawla, an economics student at Kirori Mal College.