[Telegraph] Ragging ban cuts little ice with CU

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OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Is Calcutta University lax in enforcing the ban on ragging?

The authorities deny it, though they are not abiding by a UGC rule that students seeking admission to postgraduate courses must sign a declaration stating that they will not rag juniors.

The UGC had issued circulars to all universities early this year, making it mandatory for students seeking admission to give an undertaking that they would not bully, harass, tease or humiliate anyone on the campus.

The admission form must have a section bearing the declaration that the students have to compulsorily sign. Besides, the prospectus distributed along with the admission form should refer to the ban on ragging.

The ban has been announced by the Centre and the Bengal and other state governments.

Jadavpur University and Bengal Engineering and Science University (Besu) have already introduced the system, but the admission forms being distributed by Calcutta University (CU) do not contain any section on ragging.

CU registrar Samir Bandyopadhyay said the authorities would inquire into the lapse, but claimed that ragging hardly occurs at the institute.

He admitted that the Union human resources development ministry, UGC and the state government have banned ragging and that signing the declaration by students has been made mandatory.

“We will find out why there is no word about ragging in the prospectus and the admission form for the 2007-08 postgraduate courses,” said Bandyopadhyay.

An official of the university said the UGC, in its circular, has clearly stated that “every institute must incorporate details about the ban on ragging in its prospectus and in the admission-related documents.”

Students seeking admission to CU’s postgraduate courses are being asked to give the following declaration: “...If I remain absent from the classes continuously for 10 days or intermittently for more than 50 per cent of classes held during any three consecutive weeks, my studentship will be automatically struck off from the rolls, according to admission rules of the university.”

[Telegraph] Ragging cloud on student ‘suicide’

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OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Lucknow, July 27: An Allahabad technology student died of strangulation earlier this week, a post-mortem revealed today, raising the stench of ragging gone too far.

Suicide was believed to be the cause after Alankeswar Mishra was found hanging from the ceiling of his room in Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology on Tuesday.

But the post-mortem report today revealed that the 18-year-old was strangled. Police say they suspect “a crude form of ragging”.

Vijay Kumar, deputy inspector-general (Allahabad range), said the door of the room in which Alankeswar was found had been locked from inside. But another door, leading to the hostel compound, was open. The key to the locked door was found in the pocket of the deceased.

“We initially thought it was suicide. Now we have to take it seriously. The line of investigation has changed. We are looking at the possibility of ragging in the institute. He was in the first year,” Kumar said, adding that a murder FIR has been filed.

Rakesh Mishra, Alankeswar’s father, said over the phone from the family home in Kanpur that his son was a “victim of violent ragging”. “He said he was scared of seniors when he left home on July 23 for his hostel. This is a case of murder but we don’t know if it was intentional.”

Rupesh Jain, a friend and college-mate, said Alankeswar had been humiliated by seniors, mostly facing abuses, but said: “I am unaware of any violent attack on him.”

Some junior students, however, suspect that as the death was the result of strangulation, Alankeswar might have been murdered.

The police suspect that the door could have been locked with the help of a duplicate key while another could have been put in the pocket to put investigators off track.

The grilling of Alankeswar’s two roommates and another friend — all said they were in class when the death occurred — hasn’t given the police any clue.

[IE] PU suspends five students for ragging

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Chandigarh, July 26: Five third year students of University Institute of Engineering Technology (UIET), Panjab University, were expelled from their hostel and suspended from the institute for allegedly ragging two first year students. The Central Monitoring Committee of the university took the decision.

The suspended students include three students of Electronics and Communication Engineering - Assem Yash Bhatiya, Anil Santlani and Abhimanyu Kapoor, while the other two are students of Information Technology - Ravi Kant Swami and Amit Soni. They were ragging the freshers in Hostel No. 2.

The suspended students claimed that they were just asking the freshers for their introduction. However, Dean Students Welfare Prof Naval Kishore said the hostel warden called him on Wednesday night and told him about freshers being ragged. “The two students who were being ragged also complained against them,” Prof Kishore said.

The monitoring committee was constituted recently to curb ragging on the campus. The committee decided that the students would remain suspended till further order. A copy of the decision has been sent to the Director, UIET, and the warden concerned for immediate action. The two freshers have left for their homes.

Meanwhile, the president of the Students Organisation of Panjab University, Harpreet Singh Multani, said expelling students from the hostel and suspending them was a harsh decision. “We will give a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor tomorrow then we will start an agitation,” he said.

[KhaleejTimes] College authorities, police turn tough on ragging

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By Nithin Belle (Mumbai Musings)

25 July 2007

WITH the new academic year having begun, many college managements here have warned senior students not to indulge in ragging of freshers. The Mumbai Police too are taking measures to ensure that there is no ragging on campuses.

The Supreme Court had recently asked the government to take a serious note of the problem of ragging of newcomers at colleges across the country. Ragging has now been made a criminal offence, and the police have been instructed to take action against the perpetrators. College managements have been instructed to file a first information report (FIR) in case ragging occurs inside the campus or a hostel.

Many colleges have formed anti-ragging squads, and senior staff members have been instructed to warn mischief-makers that ragging would not be tolerated. Ragging is widespread in campuses across the country, and what starts off as a harmless activity, ends up in tragedy at times.

Last year, over a dozen students, victims of ragging, killed themselves in different colleges in the country. In most Mumbai colleges, there used to be light ragging of juniors, unlike in some campuses in the north. Though there have been instances of victims taking their lives even in south Mumbai colleges in the past.

But after a stern warning from the apex court, authorities here have decided to act tough with the culprits. The Mumbai Police say that victims can call up the control room number 100 and complain of harassment. Plainclothes detectives are also doing the rounds of colleges and even hostels in the first few weeks of the new academic year to prevent untoward incidents.

Mangalore: Boys' Hostel Ransacked - Revenge for Ragging Suspected

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Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (RD)
Pics: Dayananda Kukkaje

Mangalore, Jul 22: Over thirty youth, believed to be supporters of a victime of ragging, ransacked Maaza Boys' Paying Guest House, located at Kodialbail, Mangalore on Sunday July 22 morning.

There were 30 inmates living in the guest house, wherein a junior student, Raju Kurian, was subjected to ragging by the seniors. The youth arrived in large numbers at the guest house, waylaid and beat up the owner, Salam.

The police arrived at the scene who took control of the situation and took the leader into custody.

Meanwhile, Salam assured the victim that such things would not take place in the future, besides demanding police protection at the guest house.

Speaking to Daijiworld, Salam said the group of youth attacked the hostel and damaged the property. The kitchen, toilets, fans, and other valuable items were badly damaged.

Earlier, the group tried to set ablaze two wheelers parked inside the hostel premises by dousing them with kerosene.

The Barke police are investigating the case.

[AndhraCafe] Nagarjuna University suspends four girls for ragging

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HYDERABAD :Acharya Nagarjuna University suspended four post-graduate students from University College and hostel for alleged involvement in ragging a first semester student of M.A. (Economics).

According to the victim’s contention the three seniors, inmates of the women’s hostel, had forcibly asked her to sing and dance in front of a large gathering in the hostel on July 18.
Disturbed psychologically, she got treated in the Government General Hospital here and complained to the College Principal M.K. Durga Prasad, who in turn took the matter to the Anti-Ragging Committee.

The Committee decided to hand down a punishment to the four inmates of suspension of one week from the college and hostel for a week with a condition that they would rejoin in the presence of their parents after giving an undertaking that would not repeat such acts and that they could lose seat in the university if they repeat such practice.

[Yahoo] Is there more to ragging?

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By IE
Saturday July 21, 04:08 AM

The conclusions of two recent committees make an interesting study in contrast. The first was constituted by the Central government, under the chairman of the University Grant Commission (UGC), Professor S. Thorat, to inquire into the allegation of differential treatment being meted out to SC/ST students at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The other was set up under the directions of the Supreme Court, and was headed by ex-director of CBI, R.K. Raghavan, to investigate into the prevailing practice of ragging in educational institutions and to suggest measures to stop it.

Both committees have recently submitted their voluminous reports to the concerned authorities. Both have been prepared on the basis of non-participant observations, but the conclusions drawn are poles apart. Surprisingly, what Thorat has portrayed glaringly was completely overlooked by Raghavan.The latter failed to notice that social prejudices were at work inside institutions of higher learning and prominently surfaced during ragging exercises. Raghavan underlined the cruel forms of ragging prevalent in Indian institutions which are rarely found elsewhere in the world.

The extensive Thorat report recorded that social prejudices were not only on display during ragging but even played a major role in the allotment of rooms in hostels and went to the extent of perpetrating a clear segregation of students in the dining halls. Its observations were based on the written complaints of many SC/ST students of AIIMS. The Thorat report gave details about how caste discrimination assumed ugly forms when an SC/ST student is subjected to ragging. In fact, discrimination comes into play from the very first day and is the practice all the year round. The report quoted from letters of complaints, including one from Ajay Soyal, an AIIMS student, who had elaborately described the gory caste-biased ragging he had been subjected to. The Thorat report also mentioned that upper caste students have even threatened many dalit students with physical torture.

It is not just in AIIMS that ragging and caste-based ragging appear to be common occurrences. IIT Chennai also reported several incidents of caste-based humiliation. Ragging is not new in India but it has, as reported by the Raghavan committee, got more cruel after the implementation of Mandal in the nineties. The reason for this is clear - upper caste students had come to perceive the Mandal report as a threat to their status. They came to regard students from the lower castes and rural areas as hurdles in the way of their upward mobility. The kind of ragging that the Raghavan committee had reported should actually be seen as a problem related to caste-biases within society at large. But the Raghavan report does not see it that way.

This is what makes the findings of the Thorat committee so significant. They captured the caste-based humiliations that SC/ST students in a prestigious institution routinely faced. It is a pity, therefore, that the mainstream media has chosen to overlook this important report.

[IE] University constitutes panel to check ragging

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Chandigarh, July 19: Panjab University has constituted a number of Central Monitoring committees to curb ragging on the PU campus.

The Dean Students Welfare, Prof Naval Kishore said that five committees have already been constituted. “Each committee will have four members. The committee members will conduct rounds of different department blocks and the canteens to prevent any ragging incident,” He added.

The committees were formed after a emergency meeting was after complaints of ragging in the campus was received by the authorities.

The security arrangement in the university premises has been beefed up and security personnel have been asked to be vigilant and prevent any untoward incident. Sub committees to check ragging in the campus had been constituted by the PU officials.

Hostel wardens have been instructed to stay in the hostels till 11 pm to prevent incidents of ragging.

Security arrangements have been tightened in hostels, housing first year students. Two senior students will be deputed in all the hostels to prevent any untoward incident.

The students involved in ragging will be severely punished.The university has forwarded the Supreme Court directive on ragging to all the affiliated colleges. The directive states that the students involved in ragging could face possible expulsion from the institute.

The students can also be barred from admission to other institutes in the country.

College authorities have said that these directives will be followed by PU in dealing with ragging cases.

[ToI] Six 'suspended' for ragging at Ramjas

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18 Jul, 2007

NEW DELHI: Six students at Ramjas College have been suspended till Thursday afternoon after they were caught ragging four freshers inside a classroom by the anti-ragging squad.

"A group of second year students pursuing B Sc (Life Sciences) was caught ragging four freshers inside the closed doors of a classroom by anti-ragging squad," said Principal Rajendra Prasad.

He added: "When they barged in the classroom, they found freshers being harassed by seniors. We have suspended all six of them till our meeting with their parents on Thursday noon. After discussing the matter with them, we will take necessary action."

College sources said that freshers were forced to introduce themselves, to which they were not comfortable. This same group of seniors was said to have received warning from the college officials half an hour before the incident took place, as they were caught playing pranks on fuchchas earlier. Wednesday was the first day when the classes for the second and third year students resumed in the new academic session.

Meanwhile, a group of seniors in English department enjoyed a playful interaction with freshers and without inviting the ire of authorities. ‘‘We had a fun time with them but didn’t force them to be part of it,’’ said Samridhhi, a third year student.

In Hindu College, ex-student Abhishek Chaudhry was caught ragging one of the freshers in the canteen on Tuesday has been banned from entering the premises. Chaudhry, apparently, asked the fresher to dance which the latter refused to do. The local police station has been intimated about the action taken against Chaudhry. But both the seniors and freshers of the college term the action as harsh.

"Banning the entry of a student for asking a fresher sing or dance is not healthy. If ragging was offensive, this action would have been justified," said Aman, a second year student of the college.

Added a third year B Sc (Physical Sciences) student Sagar Srivastava: "Introduction should be allowed with the freshers as they also need to know the seniors."

A group of freshers also echoed a similar view. "Asking to sing or dance is a process of personal introduction, which is healthy. We need the academic guidance of the seniors too. So Chaudhry should not have been banned entry into the college," said Rohitesh Kumar and Anshuman Ashit, first year students pursuing Physics (Honours).

Other colleges like Kirori Mal, Hans Raj, SGTB Khalsa, Sri Venkateswara, among others haven’t found anyone guilty of ragging freshers.

[Yahoo] AASU sets up cells to check ragging in colleges

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By IE
Thursday July 19, 05:07 AM

With the beginning of the new academic session in colleges, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) has set up a cell in every district to check incidents of ragging.

The Union has also appealed to the college authorities to take punitive steps against those found indulging in cases of ragging. "The AASU is in favour of a good academic atmosphere on college campuses. Ragging definitely is an outdated concept," AASU General Secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi said.

The AASU has written to Principals of all the colleges across the state saying that the student body was with them in taking any kind of disciplinary action against students found guilty of indulging in ragging. "The menace of ragging has assumed such dangerous proportions that even the Supreme Court has been compelled to intervene. Victims of ragging can now approach the anti-ragging cells, which in turn will take up the matter with the college authorities," Gogoi said.

Cotton College, the oldest college of the Northeast, has come up with a "code of conduct" for its students which is effective from the new academic year. The 107-year-old college situated in the heart of the Assam capital has put a blanket ban on ragging. "It is difficult to stop ragging completely, but it is possible," said Indra Kumar Bhattacharyya, Principal of the college. He said the "code of conduct" notice has five main points, including ban on ragging.

The five-point "code of conduct" has also put a ban on use of mobile phones on the Cotton College campus. "We don't mind students carrying mobile phones. It is no doubt a must in this age. But students have been debarred from using mobiles inside the classroom or in the corridors," the Principal said.

Apart from ragging and use of mobile phones, Cotton College has also issued a "general dress code" for students. Girls are to wear "decent" clothes that do not expose their body, while boys students have been asked to wear formal light-coloured shirts and trousers.

[HT] Hindu reports ragging to police

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Anuradha Mukherjee

This may be the first case of ragging in the Capital to be reported to the police after the Supreme Court declared it a cognisable offence. The principal of Hindu College has filed a police complaint against a student set to graduate this year for ragging a first-year BSC Applied Physical Science student. The victim has alleged, in his complaint, that he was forced to dance and the perpetrators abused him when he refused.

"We have lodged a police complaint against a student from Haryana who finished his course this year. We have also banned his entry into the college. We have also summoned the father of another student from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir," said Hindu College Principal Kavita Sharma.

"We did not lodge a first information report (FIR) as we had not received a complaint. The victim submitted the written complaint in the evening. We may lodge an FIR on Wednesday."

The college authorities will meet on Wednesday morning to discuss the issue and meet the parents of the errant students. A third student has also been named in the complaint. According to Sharma, some faculty members who were taking a round of the canteen in the morning found a group of boys ragging a first-year student.

"They immediately intervened. When I asked the perpetrators which year they were in, one of them said he had finished his BA Programme course from the college and had come to collect his result. He also said that he was only interacting with the student. Results for the course are not out yet and he had no business to be in college. The word interaction cannot be allowed to be turned into a euphemism for ragging," said Sharma.

The college has also issued a letter to the second guilty student and has asked him to call his parents, failing which an FIR would be registered against him.

[IE] Ragging at bay, DU underway

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New Delhi, July 16: ANINDITA Sanyal, a 17-year-old from Kolkata, appeared slightly nervous — it was Monday blues all right. Though, in a different city and among a fresh set of people. After spending hours on Sunday night, deciding on her wardrobe, she was worried of ragging as the new season got underway in Delhi University on Monday.

But the cordon of cops at North Campus eased Sanyal’s anxieties. Soon, she was making new friends and driving away homesickness. “I was really scared, having heard all those stories on ragging,” the BA (Hons) student at Miranda House said. “But people in the college were extremely friendly; they helped calm our fears.”

The strict arrangements did not dampen the spirit of seniors, as many were seen interacting with students and helping them with information. Seniors at several colleges were seen welcoming freshers with a tilak at the entrance.

Bhagyashree Aggarwal, a BCom (Hons) student at Gargi College, said: “The first day in college was very exciting…I enjoyed it. The teachers and seniors were very friendly, while the students’ union members answered all our queries about the college.

“Instead of ragging, the seniors interacted in a nice, friendly manner.”

Though no classes were scheduled for the day, the students were given time-tables, and freshers formally initiated into the new session. In many colleges, police officials briefed students, especially girls, on safety measures to be taken while on campus.

“The DCP was the chief guest at our orientation programme,” Aggarwal said. “He briefed us about measures to follow in order to avoid cases of teasing and harassment.”

The colleges also provided freshers a handbook containing all emergency telephone numbers.

Keep it simple
While the style quotient on Day One remained high, many chose to keep it simple. “I was very confused about clothes I should wear on the first day. But I decided to wear something simple and sober — I did not want to attract undue attention,” said Nissar Batla, a BSc (Hons) Physical Science student of Kirori Mal College.

But not all freshers were overwhelmed at the first-day-first-peek of college life. While BCom (Pass) student Tanuj Dawar was disappointed with Sri Aurobindo College’s building, Bharti Aggarwal, a BCom (Hons) student at Dyal Singh College, was flustered by the low attendance of seniors. “I could not meet many teachers and very few seniors were present today,” Aggarwal said, “but those who came were very affable and supportive.”

‘No ragging cases’
College authorities also adopted strict measures to deter cases of ragging. Besides complaint boxes, anti-ragging posters were placed prominently in campuses of most colleges. There were also notices, detailing action against students caught ragging.

“Student volunteers were made to stand at strategic locations within the campus to keep an eye vigil over such activities (ragging),” Daulat Ram College vice-principal Dr Indu Gupta said.

Gupta said the college has invited student volunteers from each department to form a committee to maintain decorum.

Dr A Sankara Reddy, principal of Sri Venkateswara College, said the college formed a “battalion” of 250-300 volunteers, comprising both students and teachers. “They will work in shifts for the first three days to ensure no ragging incidents occur on the campus.

Calling ragging is an “unhealthy interaction”, Reddy said the college has organised healthy interactive sessions for the freshers.

Maitreyi College also put up posters and made regular anti-ragging announcements. Principal Dr Savita M Datta said the college had its induction session on July 14 — “seniors were strictly warned against ragging new students.”

Dr S R Arora, the principal of Hans Raj College, said, “No ragging cases have been reported from our college. We have installed cameras in the premises and formed a special committee to check ragging.”

Indraprastha College for Women meanwhile began regular colleges as the college had conducted the orientation programme on July 14.

— Inputs from Tanvi Khanna and Shikha Rawal

[Hindu] Student attempts suicide

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Rasheed Kappan

He was ‘ragged, beaten up and humiliated’ by a senior

The victim, who had slashed his wrists, was rushed to hospital

Principal denies the occurring of ragging in her school

BANGALORE: The ragging menace resurfaced dramatically at a private nursing school in Ramanagaram with a first year General Nursing and Midwifery student attempting suicide after he was allegedly ragged, beaten up and humiliated last Tuesday. Eventually, it was a providential escape from death for the hapless student. Shattered both mentally and physically, the victim is now ready to say goodbye to the school but not before putting the people behind his ordeal in the dock.

The victim, Byju C., had, on Tuesday, cut his wrists with a blade to escape further humiliation. Fortunately, he was spotted in time by some friends who rushed him to a private hospital at Rajarajeswarinagar in Bangalore. He was later referred to Manipal Hospital. He battled for life in the ICU and was discharged only on Saturday.

Biju’s nightmare began the day before his attempted suicide. A senior student, apparently quite influential with the school management, summoned Byju to his hostel room and ordered him to get a bottle of wine. “I was taking bath when a student told me about my senior’s demand. I went about 10 minutes later and was thoroughly beaten up for being late,” Byju recalled to The Hindu.
Complaint

Traumatised, Byju rang up his father, Chellappan in Pattanamthitta district of Kerala, who advised him to tell everything to S.R. Bowin, principal of the M.H. Nursing School.

The next morning, Byju approached the school head and gave her a written complaint. But by then, the senior student who ragged him had drafted another letter foisting charges against Byju and handed it over to the school head. The principal chose to read aloud this letter, even as Byju’s father reached the place.

A shocked Byju watched in disbelief as the principal accused him of theft and misbehaviour with girl students. “I told the principal that even in my dreams I wouldn’t think of doing such things,” said Byju. But his father had to apologise to the principal assuring that his son would not repeat the misdeeds. “I was also forced to say sorry for a mistake I never committed,” he said.

Thoroughly shaken by the turn of events, Byju chose to end his life. After his father left for Kerala, he went to a coconut grove behind the women’s hostel and slashed his left wrist. However, when he received a phone call from his hostel-mates, he told about his attempted suicide. Within minutes, his friends found him semi-conscious in the grove and rushed him to the hospital.

Ms. Bowin denied any incident of ragging in her institution. “If he (Byju) had given a complaint about ragging, I would have taken action. But no such complaint came to me. There was a clash between juniors and seniors, which went on to an argument. As far as my knowledge goes, it is not ragging. Students give so many complaints. But you cannot blindly believe them,” she said.

The accused 3rd year student, it is learnt, was also working as an admission agent for the nursing school, bringing students from Kerala.

Byju’s parents and relatives on Sunday drafted a complaint to the Director General of Police and the Bangalore District Police Superintendent. The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) said it will submit a memorandum to the police.

[ToI] Self-immolation bid near Writers'

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KOLKATA: A 22-year-old polytechnic student attempted to set himself ablaze outside Writers’ Buildings on Saturday afternoon, but alert policemen stopped him in the nick of time.

Pratin Biswas, a second-year student of Bengal Institute of Technology (BIT) at Katwa in Burdwan, was about to light a match after dousing himself with kerosene when policemen rushed to the spot. Biswas was taken to Hare Street police station for questioning.

Police later said he appeared to be mentally challenged and was under treatment.

The incident occurred around 1.15 pm. The youth, who was loitering around the western flank of the state secretariat with a bottle of kerosene, suddenly poured it on himself.

Policemen posted at Gate No. 5 spotted him. "We rushed out and overpowered him. He then began to shout that he was forced to lose a year at the polytechnic due to ragging. He claimed to have written several letters to the chief minister but to no avail. He said failure to receive justice had driven him to take this extreme step," police said.

A resident of Durgapur, Pratin was admitted to BIT two years ago. Though he initially lived in the hostel, he left it fearing ragging and rented a room near the college.

When police contacted his parents in Durgapur, they learnt that Pratin was undergoing treatment for the last two and a half years.

Pratin’s father Bikash Ranjan, a retired teacher, dismissed his son’s ragging allegation and said it was the figment of his imagination.

"Pratin failed to adjust with his roommates and shifted to a rented house. Four days ago, he left that house and moved to a hostel in Katwa. On Friday, his father went there to arrange for his accommodation but Pratin fled," police said.

[Hindu] DUSU to check ragging

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Parul Sharma

An anti-ragging squad would visit different colleges

Helpline planned to counsel students

Assistance sought from the police

NEW DELHI: With the newcomers all excited about the new phase in their teenage years when the new academic year of Delhi University gets under way this coming Monday, the students’ union is making all efforts to contain the menace of ragging that might act as a dampener in the students’ tryst with college life.

Taking a cue from the recent Supreme Court directive that called for a more active role for institutions and principals to curb ragging, the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) has set up an anti-ragging team that will do the rounds of different colleges during the first week.

“We have set up an anti-ragging squad comprising volunteers that will visit different colleges during the day. This will make them easily accessible to students who could be victims of this nuisance and enable them to keep a check on ragging,” said DUSU vice-president Vikas Dahiya.

DUSU will also launch a helpline to counsel students on how to deal with ragging and who to approach in such circumstances.

“We have also met the wardens and presidents of different hostels and asked them to put up charts and notices in order to sensitise seniors about the Supreme Court verdict and take their help in checking ragging,” added Vikas.

The DUSU office-bearers have also met the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Delhi), D. C. Shrivastava, to seek his assistance in keeping the campus ragging-free.

“They told us about formation of their anti-ragging squad and sought police assistance. Their squad and the anti-eve teasing team of the police will work together in the University,” said Mr. Shrivastava.

[IE] Precious Welcome

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As the new academic session begins in colleges across the city, hundreds of freshers are discovering that the demonised and much-feared ritual of ragging can be a whole lot of fun
Premankur Biswas

The class was already in progress when Anupam Chatterjee walked into the room. Flustered and anxious, this first year student of Comparative Literature at Jadavpur University, settled himself in a corner while a genial looking girl addressed the class in the first day of college. Introducing herself as a senior, the girl urged them to forge a friendly bond with her batchmates. As Chatterjee concluded that he has the good fortune of having helpful seniors, suddenly someone among the freshers protested. Threatening to sue the poor senior, much to the horror of Chatterjee and his classmates, the guy aggressively walked up to her, only to break into peals of laughter. Before Chatterjee even knew what hit him, the seniors announced that this was a prank played on the hapless freshers. The aggressive ‘junior’ was in fact a histrionically-blessed senior, who was planted among them. “I don’t think we were ragged. On the contrary, I believe it was an innovative way of breaking the ice,” claims Chatterjee.

The horror stories of ritualistic physical and psychological abuse of freshers in colleges and institutes are slowly but surely giving way to genial “breaking ice” sessions. Ragging in city colleges, it seems, is redefining itself as a novel way of socially inducting newcomers into the group.

“With the strict anti ragging UGC circular making rounds of colleges, most colleges have coined their own rules. We believe that healthy relationship between the seniors and juniors should be encouraged,” claims Mamata Ray, principal, Presidency College.

Father PC Mathew, principal of St. Xaviers College, agrees. “Young men and women who walk in through the gates of a college are mostly confused and scared. To exploit their confusion by subjecting them to mental and physical abuse is criminal. I believe that interaction between juniors and seniors builds a healthy and fruitful relationship, which is mutually beneficial.”

It is this very spirit that has encouraged institutes like Satyajit Ray Film And Television Institute (SRFTI) to organise programmes like ‘Fresher’s Orientation Night’. “Every year we have an elaborate orientation with our juniors. In such sessions we encourage the juniors to talk about themselves and their reasons for joining the institute. In a specialty institute like ours, we need to have a dynamic relationship between students. We also need to find out if they are serious about their future here. The programme therefore is more of a counseling session,” asserts Avishek Ghosh, a second year student of SRFTI. However, a little bit of fun is involved, where the “seniors playfully tease the juniors,” adds Ghosh.

Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata, takes things a step forward. The country’s premier management institute has a systematic approach to ragging, it seems. “The whole process of orientation is initiated before the semester. Through online forums like Orkut and Yahoo, a healthy relationship between the seniors and juniors is forged. By the time the students finally join the institute, they have ‘mentors’ who take them under their wings and help them tackle day-to-day problems,” claims Sugato Dutta, a second year student of IIM Kolkata. The healthy relationship is formally solemnised with a grand “freshers welcome feast” which include “games, food and lots of fun,” adds Dutta.

The current situation in many of these colleages is a far cry from the power politics that defined the senior-junior relationship in Bengal Engineering and Science University at Shibpur even a decade ago. “We were subjected to bizarre forms of torture. I remember a particularly burly senior who would terrorise me everyday into copying pages and pages of notes for him. If that was not enough, we were made to perform ridiculous tasks like finding a pregnant mosquito or stand on one leg in a filthy tank,” states Rajarshi Nandi, a former student who passed out in the early 1990s.

Nandi’s successor by a decade and a half, Rohit Murarka, a 3rd year student of BE College, has a different tale to narrate. “I was aware of the dubious reputation of the college when I joined it. To my utter surprise I found things quite to the contrary. We were welcomed warmly by our seniors and there was no hostility. The only bit of ragging that we were subjected to was random requests to sing,” says Murarka.

Nandi sums up. “We were told that the rigorous ragging we were subjected to was to toughen us for the big bad world. Today things are different. People are more conscious, aware and sensitive. Things have taken a turn for the better. Wish we were spared the suffering though.”

[IE] Bully beating

Link to article

Naomi Lobo

As college reopens, freshers are terrified about the ultimate introduction to college life: Ragging. Whether mild or serious, it exists. Try these tricks to avoid it.

Keep a low profile
Dress simple. Freshers who dress up are easy to spot. “The boy who won the ‘Mr Fresher’ award in my college was ragged for a month. It helps if you aren’t famous,” says Joselyn Gracias, a St Andrews student.

Sympathy vote
If you act deaf, dumb or partially blind, you are sure to be spared. Seniors are mean but not that mean, says Harshada Rene, 19, of Vivekanand College.

Stay connected
Pretend you know a famous person and no one will bother you. Amit Pisat, 20, of N M College recollects, “I pretended to know a college trustee and advised my classmate to say that he was the principal’s nephew.”

Fake contagious disease
“Say you have AIDS and if they come close, you’ll bite,” says Harshil Patel, 19, of Vartak College. While that is taking things a tad far, a coughing spell will ensure no one wants your virus.

Schmooze the teachers
Hang around with the management. “Stand near the professor’s staff room and walk with them. Try to win over peons and admin staff as they come handy when being ragged,” says Jugal Shah, 18, of Somaiya College.

Run
If nothing helps, pray you are a good athlete.

[NDTV] No ragging at Ramjas

Link to report

Rati Ramadas
Wednesday, July 11, 2007 (New Delhi)

Freshers to Ramjas College can now breathe easy. The college is taking no chances after ragging was declared a criminal offence by the Supreme Court in May this year.

To check ragging on campus, Ramjas has come up with certain measures:

* It will have no seniors on July 16, July 17
* It will have no free helplines - 93110 31121-26
* It has appointed two counsellors
* Anti-ragging squad to patrol college for two weeks.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had said a victim or the head of the institution could file an FIR against any senior caught ragging.

As a member of the Supreme Court-appointed committee, the Principal is set to lead the way to make Delhi University ragging free.

''Every teacher and every student should be involved in eradicating ragging. The court had said it is the collective responsibility of the college,'' said Dr Rajendra Prasad, Principal, Ramjas College.

With just four simple steps, Ramjas is all set to do away with ragging completely, perhaps an indication for other colleges in Delhi University to follow suit.

[IE] Kanpur boy ragged, beaten up, left for dead near railway station

Link to report

ASHUMENDRA ROY HAD GOT ADMISSION IN KOLKATA’S INDIAN INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT; NOW IN HOSPITAL, INCOHERENT AND CRITICAL

Rao Jaswant Singh

Kanpur/Kolkata, July 09: Prone on his bed with a broken leg and extensive head injuries, 19-year-old Ashumendra Pratap Singh has trouble recognising his family and friends. After a serious bout of ragging, this fresher from Kolkata’s Indian Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), has ended up in a Kanpur nursing home.

Doctors at the Chandrakanta Nursing Home at Civil Lines, where he is admitted, say the head injuries have left him mentally disturbed. His family, whose pleas have gone unheard at the institution, now want action against the guilty

A resident of Fatehpur, Ashumendra had got admission at the Indian Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM), Kolkata and joined the college on June 13. “The ragging started soon after,” said his mother Kusum Singh.

Her son even complained to the college authorities, but all in vain. The management took no action, she said.

Matters came to a head on June 25, when senior students tried to force Ashumendra to consume alcohol and non-vegetarian food. When he refused, he was thrashed black and blue. “He sustained serious injuries on head, legs and abdomen,” she said. The miscreants then took the youth and left him on the railway tracks near Sealdah railway station.

Accusing the institute authorities of negligence, she said, “they informed us two days later, on June 27.” Moreover, all they said on telephone was that Ashumendra was “missing from the institute”.

Ashumendra’s uncle IB Singh and another relative, SS Chauhan, left immediately for Kolkata. Chauhan told Newsline that they reached the Vidhan Nagar police station on June 30 and registered a missing report.

That very day, someone called Ashumendra’s home and informed the family that he was at the Sealdah railway station. That was where Chauhan found him. He was injured, disoriented and had apparently been there since the incident, asking for help. No one had come to his aid. He had been stripped naked and people took him for a lunatic, Chauhan said, “when I saw him, he was crying in pain and was unable to recognise me.”

The family brought him to Kanpur and got him admitted to Bhargava Nursing Home and later shifted him to Chandrakanta Nursing Home. “He has undergone some operations but his condition is still critical,” said Chauhan.

Unable to speak properly, Ashumendra starts screaming if someone mentions his college.”Get them punished with a death sentence,” he keeps saying. “All I want now is that those people should get back what they did to me.”

The family tried to contact the institute authorities thereafter, said Chauhan, but they were not allowed to meet the Dean or anyone else.

Chauhan told Newsline that they have registered a complaint against the IIHM management at the Vidhan Nagar Police Station, holding it responsible for the incident and furnishing wrong information to the family. “The FIR number is 86/7 at the Vidhan Nagar police station,” he said. The youth has named Saurabh Singh, Amit, and Shahbaz Afreen, who were involved in the incident. All three have been named in the FIR.

If action is not taken against the guilty, the family would take up the isuue with the UP Police too, Chauhan said.

The Sub divisional Police Officer, Bidhannagar (Salt Lake), Prasun Banerjee said: “A special police team is looking into the complaint. The investigating officers met the victim in the hospital before he had left Kolkata.” Prima facie, it has been established that the student was indeed, ragged. “We are awaiting for some more evidence. Once we get them, the culprits would be booked,” he said. No one from the Indian Institute of Hotel Management, said to be located at Salt Lake, could be contacted. No one received the telephone calls despite repeated attempts.

[IE] Victims of ragging can report directly to SHO, ACP: DUSU

Link to report

Express News Service

New Delhi, July 08: As Part of Delhi University Students Union’s Anti Ragging Squad’s effort to check incidents of ragging, victim students can instantly register their complaint at the area SHO or to the area ACP.

Narendra Tokas, All India chairman of the National Students’ Union of India, said, “ This step has been taken to protect the peaceful environment in the campus so that the students can easily adjust themselves and incidents like suicides do not occur”.

Students, too, expressed satisfaction about the move. “DUSU has taken a good step by providing helpline numbers of the officials too,” said Nasser, an engineering aspirant at IP College.

Apoorva, a BSc Life Science student at KMC College said, “These measures would definitely help in checking rising number of ragging incidents which take place across the campus.”

“Action would only be taken against serious kind of ragging and that too only after a complaint of that type has been filed by the sufferer,” said Tokas.

The accused may face an imprisonment of 2-3 years (in case of outsiders) or may get rusticated from the college (in case of insider).

“No such incident of ragging or suicides were reported in DU last year due which automatically makes the need for the revival of such stringent decisions in this session as well,” said Mr. Gurmeet Singh Proctor, Delhi University.

[ToI] Grand welcome awaits fuchchas

Link to report

NEW DELHI: Delhi University (DU) colleges are gearing up to welcome the freshers with the new session slated to start from July 16.

Ramjas College is busy giving a makeover to its corridors, fixing up LCD projectors and painting the classrooms with vibrant colours. Besides the facelift to the campus, the college will also hold an interactive session between the faculty and the newcomers, a discussion about the syllabi, examination pattern and attendance requirements. "We will also make the students aware about the anti-ragging law and DU ordinance about sexual harassment against women," said B N Ray, convener, admissions, of the college.

Stating that it will be a "free and frank discussion" session, he added: "It is going to be a candid session where students can discuss all problems, personal or career-related. It will be followed by a cultural programme and an exotic lunch, exclusively for the freshers." The class for the second and third year, however, will start two days later, to avoid ragging.

At Gargi College, a short-film on the college documented by the students themselves will be shown to freshers. Being a women's college, informing the students about the safety on roads is the top priority. District police officers will address the students. "We have also asked students staying in PG accommodations to give us the address so that we can have it checked by the police," said principal Meera Ramachandran.

SRCC has gone all high-tech to welcome its freshers with power-point presentation about the college. It will also distribute booklets, which will contain information regarding the college, including extracurricular societies, results and alumni. The college has also decided to advance its orientation by a day so that regular classes can commence from the first day itself.

"We are also planning to invite a business tycoon to interact with freshers, who would share his experience on how to become the best in the business and trade," said college principal PC Jain.

Besides an interaction with the freshers, some colleges feel that an informal discussion with parents is equally important. Said Manaswini Yogi, media coordinator of IP College: "The idea of holding an orientation session for parents on July 13 is meant to explain new concepts like internal assessment, new restructured courses and facilities available in the college and also the new stringent anti-ragging measures suggested by the RK Raghavan committee."

She added: "The next day, we have invited two alumnus - Ashum Gupta of DU's department of psychology and Odissi exponent Madhumita Raut - for an informal interaction with the girls. Students' union will bring out posters on ragging and the seniors will also be a part of the orientation programme."

LSR will continue with its two decade-old tradition of freshers planting saplings on the campus. Kirori Mal College will also hold an orientation programme.

sonia.sarkar@timesgroup.com

[Telegraph] Taut rein on ragging

Link to report

A STAFF REPORTER

Anti-ragging activists chose the venue of a counselling session on Sunday to campaign against the campus menace.

Around 20 members of No Ragging Foundation gathered at Sarat Sadan, Howrah, where a counselling session was under way for allotment of seats among students who have cracked the All India Engineering Entrance Examination.

Forum members — students of engineering and medical colleges and pass-outs — explained to the candidates and their parents the steps to tackle ragging.

The coordinator of the forum, Kushal Banerjee, a junior doctor at Sambhunath Pandit Hospital, said: “A student who has been subjected to physical or mental torture in the name of ragging can contact us on www.no2ragging.com. We will soon start counselling sessions for victims of ragging and arrange for their treatment.”

While parents were seen talking enthusiastically with forum members, some of the candidates expressed the fear that they might get marked by seniors.

The candidates wanted to know whether the forum members would be by their side if they are ragged badly and how to approach the forum during an emergency.

“It’s time the parents are united against torture in the name of ragging,” said Amit Ghosh, from Nagerbazar, the father of a candidate. Saikat Roy, an electronic engineer who accompanied his sister to the counselling, said: “Those who inflict torture on juniors should be treated on a par with criminals.”

Srijani Mitra, an activist of the forum that has over 300 members, said more than 1,000 parents collected leaflets detailing ways to fight ragging.

[Siasat] To the rescue of ragging victims

Link to report

Friday, 06 July 2007

Vijayawada, July 06: The Andhra Pradesh Legal Services Authority is ready to help people, who are facing threats from financial institutions in respect of repayment of loans and also first year students in various educational institutions who may be facing harassment in the hands of their seniors in the name of ragging.

Metropolitan Sessions Judge D. Isac Prabhakar said at a press conference on Thursday that those who required legal help free of cost could lodge just an oral complaint on telephone. Guidance and legal aid could be obtained from the District Legal Services Authority in Machilipatnam and the Mandal Legal Services Committee located on the City Civil Courts premises. The district secretary of the Legal Services Authority could be contacted on phone number 94409-01051. Referring to cases of ragging, Mr. Prabhakar said that it was the responsibility of the principals of colleges and wardens of hostels to ensure discipline among students. “Victims of ragging can call us to get instant help,” the judge said.

--Agencies

[HT] Colleges open amid conviction of three students for ragging

Link to report

Ashok Das, Hindustan Times
Hyderabad, July 05, 2007

It’s that time of the year when professional colleges open after vacation and along with that comes the menace of ragging. While laws have been enacted to make ragging a punishable offence, few get convicted because the authorities as well as the community still take lenient view of the problem.

However, this time before colleges open, a stern message has been sent across to perpetrators of ragging in Andhra Pradesh. A court in Kurnool, the former capital of Andhra Pradesh,have sentenced three students of Kurnool Medical College for ragging their juniors.

Principal junior civil judge V Krishna Murthy on Wednesday sentenced N Srinivas, CP Muralikrishna Reddy and A Sudhir Kumar Reddy, the three senior students to undergo jail-term for a year and pay a fine of Rs 5,000 each.

They had summoned three first year students to their hostel room on August 30 last year and made them to strip, in the name of ragging. Later they took the pictures of the stripped students using their cell phone cameras.

This is the first case of conviction in a ragging case in the state.

[ToI] Feeling safe, and at home

Link to report

3 Jul 2007, 0035 hrs IST,PALLAVI PASRICHA ,Epaper

Delhi may not be one the most friendliest of places for young women, yet it's the most favoured destination when it comes to getting a seat in the Delhi University.
Delhi is an unsafe city for women but that does not deter girls from other towns to come and study there, in fact if you go by numbers Delhi has now emerged as the education capital for women.

In arts and science undergraduate courses, girls and boys are equal. Nearly 43 per cent of all girls in the age group of 18 to 24 years in Delhi are studying in higher education institutions. This puts them ahead of boys with an enrolment ratio of just 33 per cent.
For the whole country, the enrolment ratio in higher education is just 8 per cent for girls. The reason for this is that many girls from smaller towns come to Delhi to study in graduate and post-graduate courses.

But don't these girls feel unsafe when they come to Delhi, where the crime rate is high, a city that is unsafe for single women and as many as 600 rape cases were reported in 2006. So aren't the outstation girls scared, what are their biggest concerns and fears? Let's find out.

Who cares if Delhi is unsafe?

Even though these girls have studied in small towns they want to let their hair down and enjoy when they come to a city like Delhi.
Ankita Das from Assam says, "DU is the best university in the country that's why I want to study here at any cost. I know Delhi is not a very safe city but who cares, we can't stop living our life, all we can do is be careful." She adds that she's not looking forward to her stay in Delhi because she'll miss her hometown, but has her cousins to keep her company.
DU - which is considered the best university in the country, brings these girls to the city. They choose it over places like Mumbai and Kolkata because of the university name.

Anjalina Bhatnagar from Dehradun, who was busy preparing for her Maths (Hons) interview at St Stephen's College says, "I am looking forward to staying in Delhi, college life is all about fun and I cannot miss out on that. I know it's unsafe going out at night so I won't go, why take a risk when we know the crime rate is so high here."
Some come here to bury their nose in books and study hard while others can't miss out on any fun. Shweta Mishra from Dhanbad, who got into LSR in the first cut off list in History (Hons) says, "Delhi is a cosmopolitan city, not only do you get to meet people from different walks of life but also from other nationalities. It's good fun."

Their biggest concerns

Being in a new city brings along with it a host of worries - some are apprehensive about hostel life while others get nervous about ragging. But none of them are bothered about Delhi being an unsafe city for women. Says Anjalina, "I am worried about how the people here will be, I have heard that you can never trust anyone in a place like this - you never know what attitude they might have. That's why I will be on guard and a bit reserved initially ."
If she thinks this way, Ankita dreads the thought of ragging. She says, "I am petrified of ragging, I don't know what they will ask me to do. And since I will be staying in the hostel, I really hope I'm not in for any bad ragging. I've heard horror tales of what goes on inside these hostels and I don't want to face anything like that."

Many of these girls did not have a tough time convincing their parents Ankur Mitra to let them come and study in Delhi.

Akshaya Shah who's from Meerut says, "I have relatives and friends here, so my folks were cool about it. The best part is that I won't have to stay with my relatives and can chill in a hostel." These girls are not at all worried about where they will stay or how they will manage.
Arushi Sharma from West Bengal who's here with her cousin says, "We will have to look for a PG because we won't be able to get into any of the hostels. But we look forward to it, it's a bit unsafe as compared to a hostel but we don't have any other option."

So whether the city is safe or unsafe, it doesn't matter to these students who are here to enjoy life and be a part of one of the best universities in this country.

[SriLanka] Stop murder by ragging !

Link to letter

Sri Lanka may be the only country where ragging is used to murder people, particularly University students and school children. In addition to murder there have been a large number of cases of causing deformities, torture, trauma and untold pain of mind.

This wickedness, inhuman behaviour and villainy, resorted to by some psychologically deranged University students, has now spread to schools, armed forces, training colleges, technical institutions, religious institutions and generally everywhere in Sri Lanka. Not only young men and women but even some clergy, unfortunately, resort to this 'crime'. Ragging started years ago, as a jolly good way of freshers and seniors coming to know each other where both parties enjoyed the fun.

This came to Sri Lanka from England. In the Sinhala and Tamil traditional educational system there was nothing other than mutual concern, respect and kindness between the novice, the veterans and the teachers. Today the name ragging is used for a bastardly system of abuse and torture.

Not all seniors at the University do go out for ragging and some are positively against this mean practice. The compulsive "raggers" are definitely mentally deranged, dangerous "criminals in students' clothing" and they rag for following reasons.

1. Subconsious desire to murder: Many consider the newcomers as potential competitiors in the job market and they have a latent desire to kill them and this desire results in causing potentially fatal harm.

2. Sexual satisfaction: Some derive sadistic sexual pleasure out of making freshers undress and perform unnatural sex acts and seeing them cry, writhe and shiver with fear and pain. There has been instances of suicide of innocent students after getting sexually abused.

3. Inferiority complex: There are mad students who have a low opinion of themselves due to physical unattractiveness, lack of wealth and or lack of knowledge of etiquette and other things necessary to be members of the society that they want to get into. These people are in a state of fury against the human race and are dangerously anti-social. They will kill, maim or torture anybody to derive some satisfaction of being able to exercise power.

4. To force freshers to join their cliques through fear: These gangs torture newcomers to subdue them and force them to join their cliques as "slaves." This is the method used by terrorists, underworld gangsters and madmen like Idi Amin.

5. To take revenge for the torture they had suffered from their seniors.

6. To extort money and to force victims to provide other favours.

As a result of this inhuman torture system some have died, some have got crippled and many have got sexually impotent. The vast majority of the victims have got permanent psychological scars and some of them, in turn, become criminal "raggers" who get some consolation by inflicting pain on their innocent juniors. In fact, this is a national disaster, an epidemic, a criminal waste of resources, life and a major cause of deterioration of the values and peace in this lovely land.

The philosophy behind criminal ragging is "Might is Right" i.e., the stronger have a right to abuse the weaker. This is the basis of imperialism and slavery. When this kind of thinking is inculcated in people, they tend to use it wherever they go, for example, as teachers, government servants or professionals.

Signs of this can be seen at many places where some graduates work, though the majority do not suffer from the shock that long. Now is the time to free the country from this menace.

The people who must lead this good work are none other than the present seniors in the Universities. All those who are against this dastardly crime that goes under the misnomer "ragging" - religious bodies, humanitarian organisations, political parties and decent individuals should get together and stand up NOW, before more torture and murder will take place with the new batches of innocent students getting into the Universities this year.

We must eradicate this loathsome, brutish practice that goes against our culture and values, and ruins the country silently, once and for all. This Poson period is perhaps the most suitable time for it.

Sena B. Buddhadasa, Colombo 4.

[ToI] A whole new world

Link to article

30 Jun, 2007 l 0000 hrs ISTlTUSHAR DUTT /TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Fresh. New. Exciting. The fuchchas across campuses are revelling in their new found freedom. AT catches their mood...

Welcome to masti ki pathshala! Homework, uniform and tiffin boxes are a thing of the past. It's time to revel in break-free days. And as they say, nothing tastes like freedom. That's college life. After struggling for months for the HSC Board examination, corridors in colleges certainly look inviting. And not to talk about sharing a cup of tea with friends in canteen.

It's a free world...

Pressure is a word that will not figure in the vocabulary of freshers. At least for some time. It's time for some 'chill-pill' . As says Renish Sanghavi, a student of HL BBA college , "In school, we had too many restrictions. It's a different feeling to be in college. We are like free birds and I am enjoying it." But not all think so highly of freedom. For some, it's unexciting. As Karima Kabani, a student of HL College of Commerce feels, "School is all about rules and regulations and it used to give us a thrill to break those rules. That element of excitement is missing in college life. There is no charm of bunking classes and reaching late."

Ragging.....

The Supreme Court has banned ragging in educational institutes. But the fear is still there in the minds of freshers. "I was scared at first because I thought my seniors would rag me," says Shibani Shah, a student of St Xavier's college. Were the seniors too tough on them? "No," says Shibani. "Actually our batch got a warm welcome from our seniors," she adds. Interestingly , some fuchchas would really love to have a feel of mild ragging . And the reason - "It gives us a chance to know our seniors. And if the ragging is not too serious, then it is the best way to interact with seniors," says Hetarth Joshi, a student of NR BBA college. Though many youngsters think of having a healthy interaction with seniors, there are a few who dream beyond that. Aditya Shah, a student of HL BBA, mischievously says, "Interaction is all fine. But given a chance, I would like to flirt a bit with my seniors."

Style and more style...

Uniforms? The dreary days are over. It's time to wear your attitude on the sleeves. That seems to be latest mantra in college campuses. The Gen-X believes in making it in style. Be it a new bike, denims, caps, capris or a latest cellphone, they have it all. "First impression lasts long. I just don't want to take any chances," says Jhanvi Thakkar, a student of HA college.

And if you are thinking it's only clothes that are ruling the campuses , then you are wrong. It's tech time and that's the cool way to bond with your friends. "These days, technology helps in making new friends. Earlier the trend was to share notes with classmates to make friends, but now it has been replaced by ringtones and wallpapers," adds Jhanvi.

And life in new-age campuses is certainly exciting.

tushar dutt@timesgroup.com

[ToI] Hostel they call home

Link to article

30 Jun, 2007 l 0400 hrs ISTlJAYA DRONA & PALLAVI PASRICHA /TIMES NEWS NETWORK

LADY SHRI RAM COLLEGE

Strength: 300

ADMISSION PROCEDURE:
Admission is strictly on merit. Five students are selected per course depending on the respective cut-offs . Fuchchas and second year students stay in two-seater rooms and single-seater rooms are given in the third year.

THE RULEBOOK:
LSR follows stringent rules and regulations and the curfew begins at 7.30 pm. Non-adherence to rules can get you thrown out.

RAGGING SCENE:
"The term ragging doesn't exist in our campus," says third year student, Attrika Hazarika.

ROOM RENT:
It is about Rs 22,000 per annum. Kanika Khandelwal, media coordinator, LSR, says, "We are remodelling 42 rooms on the ground floor for the freshers. The new room will have bunk beds and will be more comfortable."

THE HOSTEL'S USP:
"We don't have to commute , we can access the library anytime during the day and it's very safe. We also have amenities like a PCO and cyber cafe in the campus. The room rents are also very affordable," shares a resident.

SRI RAM COLLEGE OF COMMERCE

Strength: 200

ADMISSION PROCEDURE:
Merit is the only criteria. A total of 50 seats are for girls and 150 for boys. With percentage deciding your fortune, interview has no weightage here. Also, re-admission to the hostel is on the basis of performance in the first and second year. All rooms are shared.

THE RULEBOOK:
Girls have to be in the hostel by 7 pm. College admin Rajender Patil says, "There is a roll call system every evening. Two late nights are allowed in one month and the deadline is extended to 10 pm."

RAGGING SCENE:
You can be told to do anything - clean the room for seniors or even do their laundry. A third year student says, "I was asked to smooch my batchmate. The seniors would even spoil the food in the mess that was meant for us." So be prepared for anything.

ROOM RENT:
It is about Rs 11,000 per annum . Mess bill is separate.

THE HOSTEL'S USP:
"The best part is the mock CA ranks which are given to hostellers. Also during the annual festival, hostellers organise everything ," adds Siddharth Sharma, a third year student.