Anti-Ragging Laws In India

Ragging is the term used for the so-called “initiation ritual” practiced in higher education institutions in South Asian countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

- Dr. Sailaja. Petikam

The practice is similar to hazing in North America, bizutage in France, praxe in Portugal and other similar practices in educational institutions across the world. Ragging involves abuse, humiliation or harassment of new entrants or junior students by their seniors. It often takes a malignant form wherein the newcomers may be subjected to psychological or physical torture. In 2009 the University Grants Commission of India imposed regulations upon Indian universities to help curb ragging, and launched a tollfree ‘anti-ragging helpline’.

The objective of this exercise is said to be increasing the friendship among batch mates. It has become increasingly unpopular due to several complaints of serious injury to the victims and stringent laws pertaining to ragging.

Ragging is now defined as an act that violates or is perceived to violate an individual student’s dignity.

A high-level committee in 2009, which probed the death of Aman Kachroo, revealed that alcohol was the main reason leading to serious form of ragging and violence in the campus. A report from 2007 highlights 42 instances of physical injury, and reports on ten deaths purportedly the result of ragging. Ragging has reportedly caused at least 30–31 deaths in the last 7 years. In the 2007 session, approximately 7 ragging deaths have been reported. In addition, a number of freshmen were severely traumatised to the extent that they were admitted to mental institutions. Ragging in India commonly involves serious abuses and clear violations of human rights.

However, the Anti-Ragging NGO, Society Against Violence in Education (SAVE) has supported that ragging is also widely and dangerously prevalent in Engineering and other institutions, mainly in the hostels.