[Telegraph] Squad-watch on ragging - Colleges in the state capital get ready to tackle jitters of juniors

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OUR CORRESPONDENT

Ranchi, June 4: College students would be under surveillance soon.

Jitters accompany junior students as they enter college for the first time; least they fall in the hands of seniors looking for fun in the name of ragging.

Colleges in the capital, however, are getting ready to tackle the menace prevalent in institutes across the country.

Each college in Ranchi has formed an anti-ragging squad to catch senior students indulging in ragging. The guilty would be handed over to the respective college’s anti-harassment cell for punitive action.

Colleges have also mentioned in their prospectus that students found ragging would be punished, as per UGC directive.

The anti-ragging squad would comprise four teachers and two students. They would keep a watch on classes, corridors and even hostels to keep ragging out of the campus.

Javed Ahmed, the principal of Marwari College, said newcomers find attending classes difficult due to ragging. This made them decide to form anti-ragging cells for girls and boys.

“Our college website talks about the anti-harassment cell and the anti-ragging squad so that the new students are aware of the situation. The informant would be displayed near the gate and on the notice board,” he added.

Principals said the steps would hopefully act as a deterrent to ragging.

The chairman of the boy’s anti-ragging squad at Marwari College, R.L. Ram, said many cases of ragging were reported last year.

“This year, our motive is to receive such cases and take corrective measures accordingly.”

The anti-ragging squad would also rope in parents to curtail ragging. “We will complain to the parents and after consulting them, will warn the students. If the youths do not stop such acts even after that, then they would be suspended,” Ram added.

Principals said rustication is also a punitive option.

Father Nicholas Tete, the principal of St Xavier’s College, said he has issued a notice to students asking them to refrain from ragging “so that newcomers feel at ease”.

“If senior students do not follow the rule we will call their parents and hand over punishment to the offenders,” he added.

Doranda College principal Ram Parvesh said they have mentioned in the prospectus that ragging was not welcome in the college.

“We have also formed a disciplinary committee to see that newcomers are not troubled,” he added.