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“There are so many incidents of discrimination and harassment that take place but police find some excuse or the other not to file a complaint. Now we know that calling names will be covered under ragging, so more students will file complaints. This is a positive move,” J Maivio, vice-president of the North East Indian Welfare Society, said.
Now, calling someone Bihari or chinki or calling any kind of names that makes a person feel vulnerable or making fun of someone for being a transgender.
This all comes under an expanded definition of ragging approved as part of the latest amendment in regulations at UGC (University Grants Commission) meeting.
Making racial or making any kind of mentally abusive comments is now a very big punishable act at institutions of higher education under new anti-ragging regulations which will take effect from the upcoming academic year- 2016.
“The terms race, racial, ethnic, ethnicity, transgender and stalking have now been brought under the regulations and anyone found guilty will face action,” a senior official said.
The Supreme Court has taken extreme measures to stop bullying or ragging at Higher education institutes. Supreme court constituted the Raghavan Committee which is given specific recommendations to prevent the menace, following which a sub-committee under the chairmanship of Rajendra Prasad, principal of Ramjas College, was also formed in June last year 2015.
People found guilty of ragging or bullying can be given any of the following or all of the following punishments:
- Suspension
- Rustication
- Can be removed from the hostel
- Results will be withheld
- Fine ranging between Rs 2,000 to Rs 1 lakh
The ministry has allocated a total amount of Rs 5 crore to the UGC for a media and publicity campaign against ragging in educational institutions.
Following measures are taken to aware people:
- Radio jingles
- Short films
- TV ads
Authorities are very positive about this step and they expect a big decrease in the no of ragging or bullying cases this year.
