Institutes gear up to guard freshers from ragging

The Supreme Court on Friday directed state governments across the country to constitute committees for ensuring that ragging in any form is prohibited in educational institutes.

Ahmedabad, however, has already geared up to curb the practice. Most institutes in the city have introduced a system to ensure that ragging is prevented. They have started taking all the necessary measures, and are all set to welcome the new batch to a ragging-free campus.

Registrar of Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (Cept) University Anita Hiranandani said, “We discourage ragging and are prepared to foil any such attempts made by senior students of the institute.”

While talking about the measures being taken to contain ragging in Cept Hiranandani said, “We have formed an anti-ragging squad which comprises senior faculties and representatives of every department; it has been in operation for the last two years. Besides, at the time of admission, students are required to state in the form that they will not engage in any kind of ragging activity. We will also provide the new students with numbers of the anti-ragging squad members, so that students can get in touch with them if they are victimised or stand witness to a student being ragged.”

On the other hand, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in the city boasts of being free of such practices. “There are no cases of ragging in IIM-A,” said Ishita Solanki, manager of Global Partnerships and Corporate Affairs in the institute. “We have our own system to check ragging. We ask both parents and students to sign the admission form, which states that they are aware of the Supreme Court’s order, and would not indulge in any such activity. This apart, during the orientation programme for the new students, the Students Activity Council (SAC) takes an initiative to introduce the freshers to the seniors in a healthy way,” added Solanki. 

This, however, does not stand true for the National Institute of Design (NID), which had to expel two students last year for their involvement in ragging. Director of the Institute Pradyumna Vyas said, “We are very strict when it comes to ragging; we will not entertain any such incidents in the institute this year too.” 

About the measures the institute is taking Vyas said, “This year we have circulated notices to students warning them against the practice. We form an anti-ragging committee every year that includes both faculties and students. We are just getting over with the admissions and would have the committee instituted soon.”

“We will see that all the new students are comfortably settled in their hostels, and ensure that they contact the authorities in case they are ragged,” he added.