Go to your new college in peace; ragging will now be more fun-filled

The attempted suicide by a student of BJ Medical College allegedly due to ragging (the college has said that she was a kleptomaniac) has again revived the debate over the issue.

But some of the premier institutes in the city have ensured a complete end to the menace and have instead come up with some friendly orientation and introduction process. Until a few years ago, ragging was practiced in institutes, particularly hostels of Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University and National Institute of Design (NID).

But, after the authorities of the institutes began clamping down on such activities, ragging is almost non-existent in any of the premier institutes of the city. After CEPT University faced the rage and demonstration of the Nation Students Union of India (NSUI) activists following a case of ragging in 2007, the institute took disciplinary actions against those involved in the case. It also severely clamped down on ragging. In 2008, some students in NID were caught ragging new students in the hostel and were expelled.

In 2009, the new director Pradyumna Vyas had made it clear that ragging will not be tolerated and a plan by the students to conduct a mass ragging session at midnight at the institute's basket ball court was nipped in the bud by the authorities.

This was replaced by a session to introduce the fresh students and help them bond with their seniors.