[Siasat] APSCHE to make film on ragging

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Thursday, 04 October 2007

Hyderabad, October 04: Taking the Supreme Court’s directions on the prevention of ragging seriously, the A.P. State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) has decided to come out with a film focussing on the severe penal action containing in the Andhra Pradesh Prohibition of Ragging Act (1997).

The film would also focus on what kind of actions and behaviour are covered under ragging and the need to stay away from such actions. The rights of freshers and modes of lodging complaints will also be covered. “The production of the film would be given to a private film maker and we will issue tenders for this in a day or two,” M.D. Christopher, Secretary, APSCHE said.

Compulsory viewing

The CDs of the film would be given to all the colleges with clear directions that every student has to be shown the film. Television channels would also be requested to air it for the benefit of students. The council has also decided to issue a paid notification in all the newspapers to ensure that the act reaches everyone.

Realising that freshers parties in engineering colleges, particularly, have become a nuisance more than an occasion to drive away the apprehensions of freshers, the council also decided to write to the colleges not to allow freshers parties outside the college. He said that the trend of organising these parties in pubs and star hotels had picked up over the years and seniors were collecting money from juniors too.

“In fact, there is a tendency to ask management quota students to contribute more,” he said, adding that colleges would now have to ensure that freshers parties are conducted in the college premises and that too within a month.

Dr. Christopher said the college managements with hostel facility have to provide mobile phones to the warden and the deputy warden at their cost and ensure that the number is available with all the hostellers. They should also be available round-the-clock for taking complaints.

Apart from getting an undertaking from every student that they are aware of the act colleges would also have to print posters giving detailed information of the act and display prominently in the colleges and buses.