Prevalence of Ragging Higher in Engineering, Medical Institutes: UGC Report

A report commissioned by Supreme Court of India about the practice of ragging in higher learning institutes states that ragging is highly prohibited and not accepted in the Indian society, and it is considered as rites of passage. ‘Psychological Study of Ragging in Selected Educational Institutes in India’ was the report commissioned by the apex court to figure out or ascertain the circumstances and reasons in which senior students resort to ragging. The report gave a detailed insight of psychological impact of ragging on students. The report also explained ways to tackle the problem of ragging in higher learning institutes.

Also Read: - IIT Kanpur Suspends 22 Students for Ragging Junior Students

In a letter to UGC, the four-member committee stated that the reasons and causes are complex. Therefore, any solution must also rest on a broad range of interventions. In short, a law-and-order perspective of the problem is both self-defeating and shortsighted.

The committee conducted surveys in 37 universities and colleges across the country. The team visited medical, engineering, veterinary, nursing, law, MCA, Ayurveda, hotel management, polytechnic and degree colleges. According to the observation made by the committee, over 40% students had faced some form of bullying and ragging. ‘Among all the institutes, the prevalence of ragging is high in medical and engineering colleges’, the committee observed.

Also Read: - UGC Announces Anti-Ragging Film-making Competition for Universities

The report further expressed that the people must perceive ragging and bullying as major problems so that they could feel the need and address it. The committee further stated in the report that law and order solution would not address the problem completely.

In its report, the committee recommended the educational institutes to create an environment where students learn the values of democracy, fairness, respect for differences, compassion and caring, autonomous and critical thinking, non-violent conflict resolution and mutually respectful relationships.