Ragging: A menace that must end

The recent death of a first-year undergraduate student from the Bengali department at Jadavpur University (JU) in Kolkata, who allegedly fell from the second floor balcony of the main boys’ hostel on the intervening night between August 9 and August 10, has sparked concerns about ragging and the need for better access to mental health counseling among students.

Even after moving the first-year students to the new boys’ hostel to separate them from seniors, they are still struggling with the trauma from the incident. A second-year student in the International Relations department stressed the need for psychological counseling to help the first-year students cope with their trauma. She also emphasised the importance of a sensitisation programme for the seniors. “We want psychologists, who will be available 24X7,” said a JU student.

In the garb of welcoming new students to college, ragging is a harmful practice where senior students often harass their juniors for their own enjoyment. Sadly, some students subjected to ragging experience lasting fear, drop out of college, or even face physical harm and death. For a student who takes admission in a college, ragging can be their worst nightmare.

The incident at JU has once more exposed the sinister nature of ragging, which has evolved into a grave human rights violation, affecting even the most reputable educational institutions.

Despite the Supreme Court’s rules against ragging and the requirement for anti-ragging committees in all higher education institutions, ragging is still a widespread issue. Prof (Dr) Dhrubajyoti Chattopadhyay, Vice Chancellor of Sister Nivedita University (SNU), Kolkata, mentioned how ragging has deep-rooted historical and cultural roots in some educational institutions. “Students who have experienced ragging may feel a sense of tradition or belonging to a particular group or college and may pressure incoming students to undergo the same experience,” he said. The educationist also mentioned how social and cultural factors can contribute to instances of ragging. “Ragging has become ingrained in the social fabric of some institutions, making it challenging to eradicate. Students may view it as a way to establish hierarchies and social bonds within their peer groups, further perpetuating the practice,” he added.

Sardar Simarpreet Singh, director of JIS Group, emphasised the importance of taking immediate action when the first incident of ragging is reported. He also highlighted the need for greater awareness within the institute to sensitise both students and faculty members about the legal consequences of ragging. “You have to take immediate action against the perpetrators the moment a ragging incident comes to notice,” he said.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has revealed that in the past five and a half years, at least 25 students have died by suicide after being subjected to ragging. Reports also showed a rise in ragging incidents, with 511 cases reported in 2021, compared to only 219 in 2020 when classes shifted online due to Covid-19.

Aritra Dutta Banik, an ex-student of JU, said, “The authorities cannot shrug off all responsibilities. The 13 students who were arrested in connection with the death of the JU fresher were on the campus. Even students who graduated from the university years ago continued to stay in hostels and engage in ragging of freshers. So, this incident didn’t occur suddenly.”

Priya Mohan, headmistress, Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Ghaziabad, informed how lack of awareness, peer pressure, weak enforcement and mainly a culture of silence or indifference contribute to the persistence of ragging. “Ragging seems to have originated in the military where it was used to toughen up new recruits. Due to rising numbers of disturbing incidents, the Supreme Court passed the Anti-Ragging Act in 1997,” she said. According to her, teachers play an instrumental role in preventing ragging issues. “A group of vigilantes comprising students, alumni, teachers and people from the management can surely ensure the creation and maintenance of a safe and inclusive space where people are happy. Peaceful remediation and resolution of such incidents through discussion and counseling will surely bring about a change. It is a slow and gradual process that must start from the primary years in school and at home. Parental support will nevertheless be very important in the entire process,” she added.

The probe into the incident of ragging on the JU campus by the inquiry committee revealed startling facts, including bringing liquor for seniors’, washing seniors’ clothes to freshers being forced to strip down to their undergarments. The freshers were also forced to hurl expletives at female residents of the adjacent police quarters, and the punishment for refusal would include physical spanking, the report said.

Dr Siladitya Ray, consultant physiatrist and stress management expert in Kolkata, has treated numerous patients who have been subjected to ragging. These traumatised individuals receive counseling and psychotherapy. However, Dr Ray’s primary aim has always been to empower them to regain their confidence and help them realise that the ragging was not their fault. “I believe that occasional micro-counseling sessions within educational institutions are necessary to educate senior students about the consequences of ragging,” he said.

Post the JU incident, complaint was lodged by some medical students staying at the R G Kar Medical College Boy’s Hostel, Kolkata, against a group of former students for alleged ragging. A ragging complaint was made against the general secretary of Gurudas College Union in Kolkata. Meanwhile, Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) authorities formed an anti-ragging WhatsApp group with the top officials in it to check any untoward incident at the CMCH hostel.

Prof (Dr) Chattopadhyay stresses on creating a safe and inclusive environment in educational institutions that discourages ragging and fosters positive relationships among students. “An institute needs to ensure that anti-ragging laws and guides are strictly followed. Also, it’s important to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards ragging,” he said. He also emphasised on organising orientation programmes for new students to familiarise them with the institution’s rules, and anti-ragging policies. He suggests organising awareness campaigns and workshops, active faculty engagement, and development of a sense of community and camaraderie among students through extracurricular activities, clubs, and events to promote positive interactions.

“I highly recommend setting up anonymous reporting mechanisms that allow students to report ragging incidents without fear of retaliation. Also, regular monitoring of the campus and hostels is needed to detect and prevent any instances of ragging. Surveillance cameras can be helpful in this regard,” he said.