[OneIndia] Despite SC observations, ragging continues unabated: NGO

Link to report

Sunday, September 23 2007 15:15 (IST) RSS

New Delhi, Sep 23 (UNI) Hopes of freshers getting some respite from "ragging blues" seem to be belied, with recent research indicating a rise in the number of ragging incidents across the country despite the Supreme Court stressing the need for educating society and rasiing awareness on this issue.

A recent survey by Coalition to Uproot Ragging from Education (CURE), a non-profit organisation dedicated solely towards the elimination of ragging and promotion of more positive ways of interaction among seniors and freshers in Indian universities, has shown that there has been a phenomenal spate of ragging incidents reported from across the country in the past four months.

CURE research has revealed 52 ragging incidents reported in the online editions of national English media since May 21 till date, an over three fold increase from only 15 cases in the same period last year.

Preliminary analysis of the cases reveal six suicides, another three attempted suicides, 17 cases of reported physical abuse and several other cases involving sexual, verbal and drug abuse.

Among some of the notable cases in the past four months was the case of a first year engineering college student of Mallabum Institute of Technology being forced to consume narcotics like marijuana, brown sugar over four days in May 25. A separate case involved stripping of three first year students of Kurnool Medical college in July.

In another case, a fresher at the BIT Ranchi consumed poison after a bout of depression brought about by ragging in August.

In a case at GMC, Chandigarh in August, freshers reported that they were asked to abuse each other verbally, propose in a vulgar manner and act obscenely. Girls were asked to dance to pelvic thrusts and boys had to fly while verbally abusing themselves.

''It is clear that the Supreme Court's nterim judgement has not been implemented in letter and spirit by the law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders. CURE also observed that despite the Supreme Court emphasising need for educating the society and spreading awareness on this issue, not much seems to have been done at the national level,'' the report said.

The rise in the number of ragging incidents smacked in the face of the much publicised work of the Raghavan committee added.

''Hopes of freshers to get some respite from the archaic 'tradition' of ragging seem to be dying now,''it said.

The report also suggested that there was a need to combat the menace of ragging through a three pronged approach.

''CURE continues to maintain the firm stand that ragging cannot be combated by deterrence alone. The psycho-social aspects of ragging need to be understood thoroughly and ragging needs to tackled through a three-pronged approach involving education and awareness, providing alternate means of interaction along with strict implementation of deterring laws,''the report said.

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