Anti-Ragging Squad

UGC REGULATIONS ON CURBING OF RAGGING
In June 2009, the UGC has notified a comprehensive set of Regulations to curb the menace of ragging in educational institutions.


What is Ragging?
As per the UGC Regulations 2009, ‘Ragging’ constitutes one or more of any of the following acts:

  • any conduct by any student or students whether by words spoken or written or by an act which harass a freshner or any other student.
  • Indulging in rowdy or indisciplined activities by any student or students which causes or is likely to cause annoyance hardship, physical or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in any fresher or any other student.
  • Asking any student to do any act which such student will not in the ordinary course do and which has the effect or causing in generating a sense of shame, or torment or embrassement so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of such fresher or any other student;
  • Any act by a senior student that prevents, disrupts or disturbs the regular academic activity of any other student or a fresher.
  • Exploiting the services of a fresher or any other student for completing the academic tasks assigned to an individual or group of students.
  • Any act of financial extortion or forceful expenditure burden put on a fresher or any other student by students:
  • Any act of physical abuse including all variants of it sexual abuse, homosexual assaults, stripping, forcing obscene and lewd acts, gestures, causing bodily harm or any other danger to health or person:
  • Any act or abuse by spoken words which would also include deriving perverted pleasure, vicarious or sadistic thrill from actively or passively participating in the discomfiture to fresher or any other student:
  • Any act that the mental health and self-confidence of a fresher or any other student with or without an intent to derive a sadistic pleasure or showing off power, authority or superiority by a student over any fresher or any other student.

Punishments
The UGC regulations stipulate that students can be expelled from an institute and debarred from taking admission to any other institute for a specified period after being found guilty of the offence.
As per the regulations any student can be fined up to Rs. 2.5 Lakhs if found guilty of ragging. The UGC regulations provide for rustification of a student, a period from one to four semesters.
Depending upon the nature and gravity of the offence as established by the Anti-Ragging Committee of the institution, the possible punishments for those found guilty of ragging at the institution level shall be any one or any combination of the following:

  • Suspension from attending classes and academic privileges.
  • Withholding/withdrawing scholarship/fellowship and other benefits.
  • Debarring from appearing in any test/examination or other evaluation process.
  • Withholding results.
  • Debarring from representing the institution in any regional, national or international meet, tournament, youth festival etc.
  • Suspension/expulsion from the hostel
  • Cancellation of admission
  • Rustication from the institution for period ranging from 1 to 4 semesters
  • Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution for a specified period
  • Fine ragging between Rupees 25,000/- and Rupees 2.5 lakhs
  • Collective punishment: When the persons committing or abetting the crime of ragging are not identified, the institution shall resort to collective punishment.

The following committees are formed in the institution.


Anti-Ragging Committee - headed by the Head of the institution consisting of the following members.

Chairman            :    Rev. Dr. James John( Principal )

Vice Chairman   :    Dr. Davis Xavier, Vice Principal

                                 Dr. Salvin K Thomas Kappiliparampil ,Vice Principal

Members            :    Rev. Fr. Mathew Alapattumedayil, Bursar

                                 Rev.Fr. Abin Jose Pallackal

                                 Sri.  Raju Thomas (HOD, Physical Education)

                                 Dr. Babu  Jose( Commerce)

                                 Circle Inspector of Police, Pala

                                 Student Representatives

Anti-Ragging Squad- is nominated by the Head of the Institution with such representation as considered necessary to keep it mobile, alert and with patrolling function. The squad should make surprise raids in hostels and other hot spots and be empowered to inspect places of potential ragging. It should work under the overall guidance of the Anti-ragging committee.

Monitoring Cell - is mainly to oversee and involve senior students as Mentors for the ‘freshers’. This cell should be formed at the end of every academic year. There should be as many levels of tiers of Mentors as the number of batches in the institutions.  The Anti- ragging squad and the Head of institutions should be involved in selecting the members of the cell.