[Outlook] Committee on ragging to submit report to SC

Link to report

NEW DELHI, MAY 7 (PTI)

The Committee on ragging is all set to submit its findings to the Supreme Court tomorrow and is expected to suggest changes in the law dealing with the issue.

"More than making it a cognizable offence, most felt that there is a need to bring in a comprehensive law on the matter. There was also opposition to it as well.

"Apart from that the committee has also listed some mandatory instructions for every college to deal with the issue," sources in the committee told PTI.

"The members were also concerned of the low conviction rate in incidences of ragging and hence some amendments in the IPC is certainly in the fray if the courts deem it worth," they added.

The committee, headed by former CBI Director R K Raghavan, has suggested a two-fold approach of punishment coupled with counselling. Wherein, the college needs to also facilitate access to psychological help for both the victim and the potential perpetrator.

The committee headed by former has also noticed a trend in the incidents of ragging and the victims in most cases hail from the rural and weak backgrounds and vice-versa. Hence, some suggestion also include steps to bridge this gap in the campus and promoting amity among the students, the sources said.

The suggestions also speak in favour of healthy ways of introduction of the juniors under the guidance of the faculty. It also speaks of arming the juniors with the identity of the seniors at the time of their entry for better identification and mention of the rules in the prospectus of the colleges to curb the menace.