[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