Subject
Prevention and Prohibition of ragging in colleges affiliated to Kerala University of Health Sciences.
Objective
In view of directions of Hon”ble Supreme Court in SLP No 24295 of 2006 dated 16/05/2007 and civil appeal no 887 of 2009 dated 8/05/2009 to prevent, prohibit and eliminate the scourge of ragging .Ragging is a criminal offence as per the Supreme Court Verdict. It adversely impacts the standards of higher education. So it is mandatory to implement anti ragging measures and monitoring measures in every college. I bring to your kind notice that, as it is a collective responsibility to ensure that the effective measures are taken to prevent ragging in each college, please take the following steps and sent a report of action taken within a month.
What constitute Ragging
- Any conduct by any student or students whether by words spoken or written or by any act which has the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness to a fresher or any other student.
- Asking any student to do any act which such student will not in the ordinary course do or generating a sense of shame to fresher or any other student.
- Any act by a senior student that prevents or disturbs the regular academic activity of any other student or fresher.
- Exploiting the services of a fresher or any other student for completing the academic tasks assigned to an individual or a group of students.
- Any act of financial extortion or forceful expenditure burden put on a fresher by other students.
- Any act of physical abuse, including sexual abuse, homosexual assaults, stripping, forcing obscene causing bodily harm or any other damage to health or person.
- Any act or abuse by spoken words, emails, posts and public insult to a fresher.
- Any act that affects the mental health and self confidence of a fresher or any other student.
Measures for prevention of ragging
- The prospects issued for admission shall clearly mention that ragging is totally banned and any one found guilty of ragging or abetting ragging is liable to be punished.
- A printed under taking should be filled up and signed by the student and parent/ guardian that he/she is aware of the law regarding the prohibition of ragging as well as the punishments.
- College has to keep the undertaking and copy shall be made available to the university if needed.
- Each batch of fresher should be divided into small groups and group shall be assigned to a member of staff. The staff member shall interact with them and if any problem faced by fresher and extent necessary help.
- Fresher’s should be lodged in a separate hostel block wherever possible if such facilities are not available the college shall ensure that seniors are not access to fresher and warden shall strictly monitor this.
- Every institution should engage or seek the assistance of professional councillors to council fresher’s in order to prepare them for the life ahead, particularly for adjusting to life in hostels.
- At the commencement of academic session head of the institution shall convene a meeting of head of departments, wardens, representative of students and parent teachers association committee members to discuss the measures to be taken to prevent ragging and steps to be taken to identify the offenders and punish them suitably.
- Every student admitted shall be given a printed information booklet detailing when and whom he/she has to turn for help and guidance for various purposes. ( warden, head of the institution, members of anti ragging committee PTA president address and telephone numbers)
- To make aware the dehumanising effect of ragging big posters stating the approach of institution shall be displayed on notice boards, hostel and other common places.
- Tighten security in all vulnerable locations.
- Communication devices may be permitted in hostels, residential areas to provide to the students particularly fresher to reach out for help from teachers, parents and institution authorities.
| Chairperson |
Prof. Dr. RajeeReghunath, Principal |
Secretary
|
Sr. Litha Lizbeth, Professor
|
| Members |
|
|
Dr. Sr. Merly John (Molly John) |
|
Sr. Likhitha |
|
Sr. Litha Lizbeth |
|
Prof. Lakshmi. G |
|
Moly Thomas, Asst. Professor
|
|
Mrs. Maria Thomas, PTA President
|
Student Members
|
Ms. Sisira SureshO, (4th yearB.Sc Nursing)
|
Monitoring mechanism
- Anti ragging committee : Every college shall constitute a committee known as anti ragging committee to be nominated by principal and consisting representatives of faculty members, parents, students (seniors and freshers ) non teaching staff, local media, non govt organisation involved in youth activities, hostel wardens. Both male and female shall be in the committee.
- The details of anti ragging committee to be made available in the notice board.
- The duty of the committee is to ensure the preventive measures are properly taken and monitor anti ragging squad .
- For prevention of ragging, constitute smaller bodies known as anti ragging squad nominated by the Principal maintaining vigil, oversight and patrolling function, alert and active at all times.
- Members can be a faculty member, non teaching staff and a student member. The duties are to make surprise raids on hostels and other vulnerable places having the potential for ragging.
- Parent teachers association has to be formed by the Principal, which will help to prevent ragging. It is the duty of parent teachers association to ensure all the preventive measures were properly taken by anti ragging committee and anti ragging squad.
- The head of the institution along with administrative authorities shall take adequate measures for prevention of ragging. Any lapse on the part shall make them liable for criminal action for negligence of duty.
- Please email a report whether ragging happened or not to the university dean student affairs
Procedure to be followed by the committee (SOP)
Before admissions:-
- The application form for admission/ enrolment shall have a printed affidavit to be filled up and signed by the candidate to the effect that he/she is aware of the law regarding prohibition of ragging as well as the punishments,
- At the commencement of the academic session the Head of the Institution shall address a meeting of anti- ragging committee to discuss the measures to be taken to prevent ragging in the Institution
- Posters shall be displayed on all Notice Boards of all departments, hostels and other buildings as well as at vulnerable places.
- Anti- ragging awareness classes need to be taken to senior students before the arrival of the freshers each year.
On admission:-
- Freshers shall be informed regarding the anti- ragging committee and how to report any incident if occurred.
- Reporting of ragging incidents or apprehension there off freshers are requested to report any ragging-related matter to the Anti-Ragging Committee or Squads.
- The reporting can be done in person, by written note ,by phone call or by e-mail. The written complaints may also dropped in the drop boxes kept prominently for this purpose at various locations in the academic buildings and hostels.
- Anti-Ragging Squads shall immediately report any incident of ragging or attempt or conspiracy for ragging, or any related complaint to the Anti-Ragging Committee.
- The Anti-Ragging Committee will consider the matter, investigate and take immediate action as per the situation.
- Counseling must be given at the time of admissions to freshers in order to prepare them for the life ahead, particularly for adjusting to the life in hostels.
- Organize joint sensitization programmes of freshers and seniors
- There shall be 1 mentor for 6 freshers. Such staff member should interact individually with, each member of the group on a daily basis for first one week for ascertaining the problems/difficulties if any faced by the fresher in the institution and extending necessary help.
- At the end of every academic year institution shall form a Anti ragging- squad consisting of mentors for the succeeding academic year.
Actions to be taken against students for indulging ragging
- On getting information about ragging, Principal may convene a meeting of HODs and if the information is correct, immediately convene meeting of anti ragging committee.
- The anti ragging committee of the college shall take an appropriate decision, with regard to punishment or otherwise, depending on the facts of each incident of ragging on its nature and gravity.
- Depending upon the nature and gravity, the possible punishments at the college level can be
- Suspension/ expulsion from the hostel
- Suspension from attending classes
- Every single incident of ragging a first information report (F I R ) must be filed by the institutional authorities with local police authorities.
- Cancellation of admission
- Debarring from appearing in any test/ examination
- Expulsion from the college
An appeal against the order of punishment by the anti ragging committee shall lies
- In case of a order of a college, to the Vice –Chancellor of Kerala University of Health Sciences .
- In case of a order of university, to the chancellor.