Anti-Ragging: Measures and Guidelines. “JAHAPANA TUSSI GREAT HO TOHFA QUBOOL KARO” Remember how hard we all laughed at this scene!! Bollywood has given numbers of the scenes portraying ‘Bullying’ as Cool and ‘bullies’ as Cool dudes!! Some of us have experienced the school and college life phases and some of us have been experiencing those phases of life. And for sure, these phases of life are the best phases of life for everyone. movie life is way different from real life, bullying is not fun here.
While I was scrolling my youtube videos I found a documentary on Ragging. Some guy was giving his opinion by telling that “Healthy ragging is good but not the other types ragging”. I rewind the video just to clear the confusion that what was is he talking about? ‘Healthy Ragging ‘is that even a word?? How the same thing has different meanings just because on thing is done inside the campus. It’s funny and cool and the same thing if done outside the campus is serious?
Ragging has nowadays become a way of interaction between seniors and juniors. The students on the first day of college are super excited to enter into their new phase of life. With hopes and ambitions but also with the fear of ragging. It not only affects physically but also mentally and emotionally.
MEASURES-
GUIDELINES OF CBSE AGAINST RAGGING FOR SCHOOLS-
- A school should preferably have a full-time Counsellor at each level of schooling. Such as Primary, Upper-Primary and Secondary/Senior.
- At Secondary and Senior Secondary stages at least twenty sessions of psychological counseling must be provided to every student in an academic session. Parents and teachers may also be involved in such sessions.
- ‘Health and Wellness Clubs’ already constituted by schools should act as monitoring cells for maintaining a constant vigil. The major aim should be to promote preventive measures to curb violence in any form. Incase any act of violence is reported, timely and prompt action must be taken.
- Manuals on Life Skills, Comprehensive School Health, and Adolescence Education. It should contain activities on Value Systems, Human Rights, Gender Sensitivity, Self Esteem, Interpersonal Communication, Coping. Along with Stress, Dealing with Anger, Coping with Emotions, Empathy, and Resisting Peer Pressure. Which needs to be religiously taken up in the activity periods. These can take the form of Role Plays, Street-Theatre (Nukkad Natak), Group-Discussions, Debates etc.
- Peer Educators and Peer Mentors need to be empowered to create awareness. And monitor the sensitive zones in schools such as canteens, playgrounds, corridors, bathrooms, and dormitories. Any untoward incident must be immediately reported.
- Counselors in all schools and Wardens in boarding and residential schools need to be sensitized. With the changing dynamics of student interaction. They should be empathetic and approachable so that students can confide in them. The occurrence of such acts has more probability in the case of residential schools. And the major reason is due to the amount of time spent together by students.
- Role of parents in Parent-Teacher Meetings, representation in various other school Committees and participation in Health Club initiatives must be reinforced. Role of parents in Parent-Teacher Meetings, representation in various other school Committees and participation in Health Club initiatives must be reinforced. In case a parent needs to report in confidence about any act of bullying, however minor, the Head of the Organisation must put a mechanism in place which must also be circulated to parents.
- “No Act of Violence which includes physical or sexual abuse, bullying or Ragging will go unnoticed or unpunished’ needs to be clearly stated in the prospectus and other guidelines circulated by the school. Punishment to be meted out in case of a student caught in any act of ragging or bullying should also be clearly spelled out. Parents, as well as students, need to be aware of the extent of punishment possible.
- Drastic action should be taken against the ragger without risking the identity of the victim. The victim needs counseling which may be taken up by a peer mentor or Counselor.
- Punishment to be meted out must be commensurate with the gravity of the action. It may vary from suspension in attending classes, collective and heavy fine in case of group offenders and even go to the extent of rustication or expulsion.
- Life Skills are being reflected in the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation Card. Any form of deviant or aggressive behavior must also be recorded in behavioral terms. Any school which is found to default on any of the above directives will be penalized severely and stringent action to the extent of disaffiliation may be taken against them. In all such cases, it is the Head of the Organisation who will be held accountable. This may be brought to the notice of all the students, teachers and parents.
MEASURES BY UNIVERSITY OF GRANT COMMISSION AGAINST RAGGING-
UGC Regulations On Curbing The Menace Of Ragging In Higher Educational Institutions, 2009
In the case of University of Kerala vs Council of Principals of Colleges, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India was pleased to direct that a Committee headed by Shri R.K.Raghavan, former Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) be notified to give suggestions on means of prevention of ragging in an educational institution. On the recommendation of the report, UGC University Grants Commission framed UGC Regulations on curbing the menace of ragging in higher educational institutions, 2009″ which were notified on 17″ June 2009 and are to be mandatorily followed by all universities and college.
Punishments under the Indian Penal Code against Ragging-
The incident of ragging or abetting in ragging puts an obligation on the institution to get the FIR registered. There are provisions in the IPC, which can be used by a student to register an FIR in the nearest Police Station.
Section 294 – Obscene acts and songs
Section323 – Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt
Section324 – Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon or means
Section 325 – Punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt
Section 326 – Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon
Section 339 – Wrongful Restraint
Section340 – Wrongful Confinement
Section341 – Punishment for Wrongful Restraint
Section342 – The Punishment for Wrongful Confinement
Section506 – Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.