Student accused of ragging should not be expelled for life: HC

"A student in the hands of principal/head is a child in the hands of a parent and a parent would never want the career of a child to be completely destroyed by expulsion which necessarily renders him unfit for any other career," Justice Rajiv S Endlaw said.

The court made the observations while directing Delhi University to re-admit two of its students who were expelled for indulging in ragging in 2009. "No college would be willing to grant them admission to enable them to complete their studies thereby leading to such frustration and disappointment or despondency which may lead even either to suicide or turn them into anti-social elements," the court said.

Directing the University and Kirori Mal College to re-admit the final-year students, the court said that a harsh order like expulsion results in bitterness which many a time might turn a student into an anti-social element.

The court passed the order on a plea of students who said that they have already lost one year and their life and career would be ruined if they are not allowed to complete the course as no other college would admit them.

The petitioners had been punished under the newly-promulgated UGC regulations to prevent ragging and an FIR had also been registered against them. Granting relief to the students, the court said, "To allow the punishment as meted out to stand would also amount to nullifying what this court had attempted to do by quashing the FIR against the petitioners. Not only the petitioners would remain without degree of graduation but their future prospects would also be seriously hampered."

"The punishment of expulsion from the college and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution is modified to that of rustication from the college for the academic session 2009-10. The petitioners would thus be entitled to be readmitted to the college on complying with necessary formalities," the court said.