<p>Years ago, what started as playful banter to get students to break in into college life, has now transformed into a menace called ragging. Vatsala Vedantam provides insights into what can be done to curb this practice </p>.<p>It is interesting to learn that the University Grants Commission (UGC) has at last woken up to the worst malaise in universities — that is, RAGGING, which should be written in bold letters to emphasise its disgraceful presence in places of learning. The UGC’s response has come nearly three decades after the death of young Ganesh Babu, a fresher in the JJM Medical College in Davangere, who ended his life in January 1982 as a result of agonising torture at the hands of his seniors. His suicide evoked nationwide sympathy at that time. I remember the then President of India, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, condemning this incident during the centenary celebrations of a college in Bangalore. <br />With tears in his eyes he swore he would not let this shameful practice continue. That was 28 years ago. The cruel sport has continued unabated with students either ending their lives or becoming physically and mentally maimed for life. There were two cases in Bangalore where young boys jumped to their death shortly after. Both were dismissed as “accidents.”<br /><br />Breaking in<br /><br />Ragging a new student to break him/her into college life was a privileged activity when first introduced into campuses. It is one more aspect of academics left behind by the British system of education. The concept was born out of concern to make a college fresher coming from a sheltered background get used to a new environment by shedding his inhibitions. He would make new friends in the process of learning new activities. It was a healthy, wholesome pastime where both the fresher and his seniors got to know each other. A shy youngster just out of school needed this friendly banter to overcome his shyness and lack of confidence. It was certainly not meant to torment and harm young boys and girls to drive them to suicide. Unfortunately, Indian campuses — especially the professional ones — have become the breeding grounds for such acts which range from money extortion to sadistic sexual activities that young boys and girls with promising careers have either cut short their studies, or worse, their lives — in despair. It is high time that the UGC assumed the role of caretaker of students’ welfare, and not remain a mere grant giver to universities.<br /><br />Bills may be introduced and Acts passed in Parliament “to investigate, review and award appropriate punishment” to those found guilty of ragging. The UGC initiative may sound good, but will it be implemented properly and not remain a mere declaration on paper? <br />For that matter, even passing a Bill in Parliament or framing a national policy cannot produce any results unless there is total participation of students, parents, teachers, college authorities and all those concerned about the development of the next generation of citizens. Almost every Indian university has a director of student welfare. <br />He must be the first person to take the responsibility of protecting freshers from these things. If a serious case of ragging occurs, he must again be the first person answerable in such matters. Why, according to the Karnataka State Universities Act, the final authority for maintaining discipline on a campus is the Vice Chancellor himself. Have we ever heard of a VC visiting college hostels after a serious calamity following ragging? Have we ever heard of VCs visiting college hostels at all?<br /><br />Parental responsibility<br /><br />One of the best reforms mooted by the State Government in Karnataka was the recommendation to all state universities to have special advisory councils consisting of parents, teachers and students too. Parental responsibility to prevent the menace of ragging cannot be underestimated. They should be held responsible if their wards were found guilty. Just like private managements of professional colleges who cannot look away when their campuses become the hunting ground of criminals in the guise of students. Unfortunately, the nexus between parents who have given handsome donations to those colleges, and managements who have accepted such donations when they admitted their sons/daughters, has often thwarted efforts to nail down the culprits in ragging cases. This may be the reason for the incidence of ragging and its tragic consequences mostly in private professional colleges. These are the places where the rich and influential wards of well connected parents indulge in these criminal acts and get away unscathed. If the Center and states wish to end this menace, it should not be difficult to pin down the culprits with proper punishment. Surely, three decades is long enough to act.<br /><br />I visited the University of Toronto a few years ago on the opening day of its fall session. I was warned that seniors were “ragging” the new entrants in the campus. There was a lot of excitement and hilarity as the freshers were initiated into college life. Teachers and parents were present too watching the fun. As the freshers were lined up, they were made to wear yellow hats and make short speeches. That was all. The ice was broken between the senior students and the new entrants who were treated afterwards to a party with much singing and dancing. The camaraderie and goodwill shown to new students was filled with warmth and friendship. What a contrast to the murky corridors of college hostels in this country where terrified boys and girls are made to suffer sexual harassment and other indignities in the name of ragging. Brilliant students are known to have cut short their studies in fear. Some have cut short their lives. How many more Ganesh Babus do we need before we end this menace? The UGC initiative should not become another empty promise.</p>
<p>Years ago, what started as playful banter to get students to break in into college life, has now transformed into a menace called ragging. Vatsala Vedantam provides insights into what can be done to curb this practice </p>.<p>It is interesting to learn that the University Grants Commission (UGC) has at last woken up to the worst malaise in universities — that is, RAGGING, which should be written in bold letters to emphasise its disgraceful presence in places of learning. The UGC’s response has come nearly three decades after the death of young Ganesh Babu, a fresher in the JJM Medical College in Davangere, who ended his life in January 1982 as a result of agonising torture at the hands of his seniors. His suicide evoked nationwide sympathy at that time. I remember the then President of India, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, condemning this incident during the centenary celebrations of a college in Bangalore. <br />With tears in his eyes he swore he would not let this shameful practice continue. That was 28 years ago. The cruel sport has continued unabated with students either ending their lives or becoming physically and mentally maimed for life. There were two cases in Bangalore where young boys jumped to their death shortly after. Both were dismissed as “accidents.”<br /><br />Breaking in<br /><br />Ragging a new student to break him/her into college life was a privileged activity when first introduced into campuses. It is one more aspect of academics left behind by the British system of education. The concept was born out of concern to make a college fresher coming from a sheltered background get used to a new environment by shedding his inhibitions. He would make new friends in the process of learning new activities. It was a healthy, wholesome pastime where both the fresher and his seniors got to know each other. A shy youngster just out of school needed this friendly banter to overcome his shyness and lack of confidence. It was certainly not meant to torment and harm young boys and girls to drive them to suicide. Unfortunately, Indian campuses — especially the professional ones — have become the breeding grounds for such acts which range from money extortion to sadistic sexual activities that young boys and girls with promising careers have either cut short their studies, or worse, their lives — in despair. It is high time that the UGC assumed the role of caretaker of students’ welfare, and not remain a mere grant giver to universities.<br /><br />Bills may be introduced and Acts passed in Parliament “to investigate, review and award appropriate punishment” to those found guilty of ragging. The UGC initiative may sound good, but will it be implemented properly and not remain a mere declaration on paper? <br />For that matter, even passing a Bill in Parliament or framing a national policy cannot produce any results unless there is total participation of students, parents, teachers, college authorities and all those concerned about the development of the next generation of citizens. Almost every Indian university has a director of student welfare. <br />He must be the first person to take the responsibility of protecting freshers from these things. If a serious case of ragging occurs, he must again be the first person answerable in such matters. Why, according to the Karnataka State Universities Act, the final authority for maintaining discipline on a campus is the Vice Chancellor himself. Have we ever heard of a VC visiting college hostels after a serious calamity following ragging? Have we ever heard of VCs visiting college hostels at all?<br /><br />Parental responsibility<br /><br />One of the best reforms mooted by the State Government in Karnataka was the recommendation to all state universities to have special advisory councils consisting of parents, teachers and students too. Parental responsibility to prevent the menace of ragging cannot be underestimated. They should be held responsible if their wards were found guilty. Just like private managements of professional colleges who cannot look away when their campuses become the hunting ground of criminals in the guise of students. Unfortunately, the nexus between parents who have given handsome donations to those colleges, and managements who have accepted such donations when they admitted their sons/daughters, has often thwarted efforts to nail down the culprits in ragging cases. This may be the reason for the incidence of ragging and its tragic consequences mostly in private professional colleges. These are the places where the rich and influential wards of well connected parents indulge in these criminal acts and get away unscathed. If the Center and states wish to end this menace, it should not be difficult to pin down the culprits with proper punishment. Surely, three decades is long enough to act.<br /><br />I visited the University of Toronto a few years ago on the opening day of its fall session. I was warned that seniors were “ragging” the new entrants in the campus. There was a lot of excitement and hilarity as the freshers were initiated into college life. Teachers and parents were present too watching the fun. As the freshers were lined up, they were made to wear yellow hats and make short speeches. That was all. The ice was broken between the senior students and the new entrants who were treated afterwards to a party with much singing and dancing. The camaraderie and goodwill shown to new students was filled with warmth and friendship. What a contrast to the murky corridors of college hostels in this country where terrified boys and girls are made to suffer sexual harassment and other indignities in the name of ragging. Brilliant students are known to have cut short their studies in fear. Some have cut short their lives. How many more Ganesh Babus do we need before we end this menace? The UGC initiative should not become another empty promise.</p>
