Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions

Recently, incidents of ragging in Government College of Nursing, Kottayam and Government College, Karyavattom, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala have brought the ragging issue into the limelight.

Definition of Ragging

• The Supreme Court in a 2001 case (Vishwa Jagriti mission case) defined ragging.
• Ragging includes:
  • Disorderly Conduct: Any act, spoken or written words, that teases, treats rudely, or handles a fresher/junior student improperly.
  • Rowdy/Undisciplined Behavior: Activities causing annoyance, hardship, or psychological harm to freshers/juniors.
  • Instilling Fear: Actions raising fear or apprehension in freshers/juniors.
  • Forced Actions: Asking students to perform acts they wouldn’t normally do, leading to shame or embarrassment.
  • Impact: Adversely affects the physical or mental well-being of freshers/juniors.
• Can be physical, psychological, sexual, or verbal abuse.
• Lead to adverse effects such as depression, anxiety, and sometimes even suicide. 

Ragging Incidents and Data

• Kerala Case (2025): A video from a government nursing college in Kottayam shows a student being tied and assaulted, highlighting the persistent issue of ragging.
• UGC Helpline Data (2009-2023):
  • Over 8,000 ragging complaints logged.
  • 208% surge in complaints from 2012 (358) to 2022 (1,103).
  • 78 student deaths allegedly due to ragging from 2012 to 2023.
• State-wise Data:
  • Deaths: Maharashtra (10), UP and Tamil Nadu (7 each), Telangana (6), Andhra Pradesh (5), MP (4).
  • Complaints: UP (1,202), MP (795), West Bengal (728), Odisha (517), Bihar (476), Maharashtra (393).
• Institutions with Most Complaints:
  • Banaras Hindu University (BHU) – 72.
  • Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal – 53.
  • MKCG Medical College, Berhampur – 49.

Broad Types of Ragging

Ragging can be categorized into three broad types based on its severity and nature:

• Mild Ragging: Often disguised as an “introduction session” but can be humiliating for freshers. Examples:
  • Asking juniors to introduce themselves in a specific manner (e.g., bowing before seniors, using specific salutations like ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’).
  • Enforcing dress codes (e.g., wearing mismatched clothes, shaving heads).
  • Making freshers sing, dance, or act in public spaces.
  • Mocking accents, mannerisms, or physical appearance.
  • Psychological Impact: Can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, and emotional distress.
• Moderate Ragging: Involves coerced activities that cause discomfort, fear, or embarrassment. Examples:
  • Forcing freshers to run errands or serve seniors.
  • Compelling them to use abusive language or insult others.
  • Asking freshers to perform degrading acts (e.g., proposing to strangers, reciting vulgar jokes).
  • Social isolation: freshers being ignored, excluded, or restricted from mingling with peers.
  • Impact: Leads to social anxiety, inferiority complex, and depression.
• Severe Ragging: The most dangerous form, often leading to serious physical, psychological, or sexual abuse. Examples:
  • Beating, slapping, or physical assault.
  • Coerced drinking, smoking, or substance abuse.
  • Sexual harassment (e.g., stripping, forcing obscene acts).
  • Torture or extreme humiliation, leading to trauma, suicide attempts, or even death.
  • Legal Consequences: Punishable under IPC Sections 323, 324, 354, 506, 305, and 306.

Why Ragging Persists in India

Lack of Strict Enforcement

• Weak Implementation of Laws: Supreme Court guidelines and UGC regulations are often not enforced strictly by educational institutions.
  • Clause 9.4 of UGC Regulations, which allows action against non-compliant colleges, has never been invoked since 2009.
• Institutional Apathy: Many colleges and universities dismiss ragging complaints as “minor disputes” or “internal scuffles.”
  • Authorities often fail to file FIRs or take punitive action against perpetrators.

Cultural Normalization

• Rite of Passage: Ragging is often seen as a “tradition” or “initiation ritual” in many elite institutions.
  • Seniors justify it as a way to “break the ice” or “build bonds” with juniors.
• Peer Pressure: Students who were ragged in the past often perpetuate the cycle, believing it is their “right” to rag juniors.
  • The mentality of “we suffered, so they should too” is prevalent.

Lack of Awareness and Sensitization

• Ignorance of Consequences: Many students, especially seniors, are unaware of the severe psychological and physical harm ragging can cause.
  • Institutions often fail to conduct orientation programs to educate students about the negative impacts of ragging.
• Normalization of Aggression: In schools, bullying is often normalized, leading students to believe that aggressive behavior is acceptable.

Fear of Reporting

• Intimidation and Retaliation: Victims often fear retaliation from seniors if they report ragging.
  • The lack of anonymity in reporting mechanisms discourages victims from coming forward.
• Social Stigma: Victims may feel ashamed or embarrassed to report ragging, fearing social ostracization or being labeled as “weak.”

Inadequate Grievance Redressal Mechanisms

• Ineffective Anti-Ragging Committees: Many institutions have anti-ragging committees on paper, but they are often non-functional or lack authority.
  • Complaints are either ignored or not addressed promptly.
• Lack of Accountability: Institutions often fail to take responsibility for ragging incidents, blaming them on “individual behavior” rather than systemic failures.

Legal and Definitional Challenges

• No Clear Legal Definition: Ragging is not defined as a specific offense under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), leading to inconsistent enforcement.
  • It is often prosecuted under general provisions like wrongful restraint (Section 339 IPC) or wrongful confinement (Section 340 IPC).
• Delayed Justice: Legal proceedings in ragging cases are often slow, and perpetrators rarely face severe consequences.

Competitive and Hierarchical Environment

• Power Dynamics: In professional colleges (e.g., medical and engineering), seniors often use ragging to assert dominance over juniors in a highly competitive environment.
  • The hierarchical structure of institutions fosters a culture of seniority and authority.
• Elitism: Elite institutions often justify ragging as a “tradition,” making it difficult to eradicate.

Lack of Student Support Systems

• Inadequate Counseling Services: Many institutions lack proper counseling services to support victims of ragging.
  • Students who experience psychological trauma due to ragging often do not receive the help they need.
• Absence of Peer Support: Bystanders or fellow students often fail to intervene or report ragging incidents due to fear or indifference.

Societal Attitudes

• Normalization of Violence: Aggressive behavior is often normalized in society, leading students to believe that ragging is harmless or even beneficial.
  • The idea that ragging “toughens up” students is a common misconception.
• Gender and Caste Dynamics: Ragging often takes on discriminatory forms, targeting students based on gender, caste, or regional background.

Economic and Administrative Constraints

• Lack of Resources: Many institutions, especially in rural areas, lack the resources to implement anti-ragging measures effectively.
  • Installing CCTV cameras, setting up helplines, and conducting regular inspections require financial and administrative support.
• Overburdened Authorities: College administrations are often overburdened with other responsibilities, leading to negligence in addressing ragging.

Implications of Ragging in Educational Institutions

• Physical Harm and Injuries: Ragging often involves physical abuse, leading to injuries, disabilities, or even death.
  • In 2023, a 17-year-old student at Jadavpur University died after falling from a hostel balcony following alleged ragging. The incident involved physical assault and humiliation.
• Increase in Student Suicides: UGC data (2012-2023) recorded 78 student suicides due to ragging across India.
  • A 20-year-old student at KIIT (2025) died by suicide after allegedly facing harassment and lack of institutional support.
• Psychological Trauma: Ragging causes severe psychological harm, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  • In 2024, a student at a Gujarat medical college died after being forced to stand for hours during ragging. The incident left many juniors traumatized and fearful of their seniors.
• Dropout Rates and Academic Disruption: Ragging drives students to drop out of institutions, disrupting their education and career prospects.
  • In 2018, a female student at a prestigious engineering college in Tamil Nadu dropped out after being subjected to sexual harassment and humiliation during ragging.
• Normalization of Violence and Aggression: Ragging normalizes violent and aggressive behavior, creating a toxic campus culture.
  • In Kerala Nursing College Case (2025), a video showed a student being tied to a cot and tortured by seniors.
• Fear and Intimidation: Ragging creates an environment of fear and intimidation, discouraging students from reporting incidents.
  • In 2022, a student at a Kolkata university was threatened with dire consequences if he reported being ragged. He remained silent until the incident escalated.
• Social and Cultural Impact: Ragging reinforces harmful social hierarchies and perpetuates discrimination based on gender, caste, and region.
  • In 2020, a Dalit student at a Maharashtra college was subjected to caste-based slurs and humiliation during ragging.
  • A UGC report revealed that 30% of ragging incidents involved sexual harassment or gender-based violence.

Committees related to Ragging

• Raghavan Committee 2007
  • The Raghavan Committee, headed by former CBI Director R.K. Raghavan, was formed in 2007 to address the issue of ragging in educational institutions. 
  • These recommendations were later formalized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2009. 
• Raghavan Committee’s recommendations:
  • Anti-Ragging Committees: Establish anti-ragging committees at the university, college, and department levels.
  • Anti-Ragging Squads: Form anti-ragging squads to conduct surprise raids and inspections in hostels and campuses.
  • Affidavits from Students: Make it mandatory for students and their parents to submit affidavits at the time of admission, pledging not to engage in ragging.
  • Public Declaration: Institutions should publicly declare their commitment to preventing ragging through posters, notices, and official communications.
  • Exemplary Punishment: Enforce strict and exemplary punishment for those found guilty of ragging, including suspension, expulsion, and cancellation of scholarships.
  • FIR Filing: Mandate that institutions file a First Information Report (FIR) with the police within 24 hours of receiving a ragging complaint.
  • Disciplinary Action: Take disciplinary action against institutions that fail to prevent ragging or address complaints promptly.
  • Awareness Campaigns: Conduct regular awareness campaigns to educate students, faculty, and parents about the negative impacts of ragging.
  • Anti-Ragging Helpline: Establish a 24/7 anti-ragging helpline where students can report incidents anonymously.
  • Legal Framework: Treat ragging as a criminal offense and ensure that perpetrators face legal consequences.
  • Accountability of Institutions: Hold institutions accountable for failing to prevent ragging or address complaints.
  • Curriculum Inclusion: NCERT and SCERT to explore adding ragging as a subject under “Human Rights” in education curricula.
• Unny Committee: 
  • In the 1999 case, SC asked the University Grants Commission (UGC) to issue guidelines to universities to curb ragging. 
  • The UGC formed a four-member committee under Prof K.P.S. Unny, Registrar of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, to examine and submit a report on ragging.
  • It emphasized student safety, institutional accountability, and effective grievance redressal mechanisms to curb ragging.

Laws to Prevent Ragging in India

UGC Regulations (2009)

• UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions:
  • These regulations were based on the recommendations of the Raghavan Committee.
  • Clause 9.4: Allows the UGC to take action against institutions that fail to prevent ragging.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023

While ragging is not a specific offense under the BNS, it can be prosecuted under various sections:

• Section 329(1) (Wrongful Restraint): Punishes restraining someone from moving in a direction they have a right to go.
• Section 329(2) (Wrongful Confinement): Punishes confining someone unlawfully.
• Section 351(2) (Criminal Intimidation): Punishes threats or acts intended to alarm someone.
• Section 115(1) (Voluntarily Causing Hurt): Punishes causing physical harm.
• Section 74 (Assault or Criminal Force to Outrage Modesty): Punishes assault or criminal force to outrage a woman’s modesty.
• Section 108 (Abetment of Suicide): If ragging leads to suicide, perpetrators can be charged with abetment.

Other Legal Provisions

• Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act (2012):
  • If ragging involves sexual harassment or assault of minors, perpetrators can be charged under POCSO.
  • Punishments include imprisonment ranging from 3 years to life, depending on the severity of the offense.
• Information Technology (IT) Act (2000):
  • Cyber ragging (e.g., online harassment or bullying) can be prosecuted under the IT Act.
  • Section 66A (now repealed) and Section 67 (publishing obscene material) were used to address online ragging.

Way Forward to Eradicate Ragging

• Strict Enforcement of Laws: Ensure strict implementation of UGC Regulations (2009) and Supreme Court guidelines.
  • Hold institutions accountable for failing to prevent ragging or address complaints.
• Awareness and Sensitization: Conduct regular orientation programs and workshops to educate students and staff about the harmful effects of ragging.
  • Use media campaigns to spread awareness and promote a culture of respect and inclusivity.
• Strengthening Grievance Redressal Mechanisms: Establish 24/7 helplines and secure complaint boxes for anonymous reporting.
  • Ensure timely action on complaints and protect whistleblowers from retaliation.
• Surveillance and Monitoring: Install CCTV cameras in hostels, common areas, and campuses to monitor activities.
  • Conduct surprise raids and inspections by anti-ragging squads.
• Punitive Measures: Impose strict penalties, including suspension, expulsion, and criminal charges, for perpetrators.
  • Take disciplinary action against institutions that fail to prevent ragging.
• Counseling and Support Systems: Provide counseling services for victims of ragging to help them cope with trauma.
  • Offer support to students who witness ragging and encourage them to report incidents.
• Community and Peer Involvement: Mobilize senior students to act as mentors and promote a positive campus culture.
  • Engage parents and local communities in anti-ragging initiatives.

Conclusion

Ragging is a deep-rooted issue that requires collective effort from students, institutions, and authorities. By strictly enforcing laws, raising awareness, and fostering a culture of respect, India can eradicate ragging and create a safe and inclusive environment for all students.