[IE] For freshers, LU campus is ‘unsafe, insecure’

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Over 80 pc students are ragged in hostels, 70 pc find LU unsafe Over 80 pc students are ragged in hostels, 70 pc find LU unsafe due to ragging and abusive behaviour of seniors: Survey

Express News Service

Lucknow, March 15: The Lucknow University authorities had thought they had restored the educational atmosphere by launching a crusade against criminals and self-professed student leaders. After a survey by its social work department, it has realised that they were not right. They are yet to free the campus of another menace, ragging, they learnt today.

In a survey conducted by LU’s social work department to curb ragging on the campus, over 80 per cent students were found to have been ragged in their hostels. Around 70 per cent students have even termed LU as “unsafe and insecure”, owing to ragging and “abusing behaviour” meted out to them by their seniors, says the survey, which talked to a total of 100 students from arts, commerce and science streams. “It’s just shocking... We thought it was all fine in our hostels,” said LU proctor Dr AN Singh, who coordinated the survey.

The findings of the survey were presented before a seven-member team, constituted by the HRD ministry, on Thursday. The team, headed by former CBI director (Chennai) R K Raghvan, was in the city to hold a discussion with higher education authorities on devising ways to curb the ragging menace.

Significantly, the survey also pointed out that around 93 per cent students want that during initial period of an academic session, when ragging is normally reported, LU should frame special guidelines for striking a rapport between the seniors and the juniors. “It’s true, usually ragging cases are reported when a new academic session starts. Considering this fact, students have asked us to frame guidelines to counter the ragging menace,” said the proctor.

After the findings of the survey, the LU authorities are now busy framing strict guidelines to stop ragging in the varsity and its hostels. For this, LU has asked students welfare officials to come up with powerful measures.