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Help curb ragging, Pratibha urges Governors

Aarti Dhar

“The perverse practice has acquired hideous proportions”
“Persistent spread of this scourge across the country”

NEW DELHI: President Pratibha Patil has written to Governors and Lieutenant Governors asking them to help in eliminating ragging from educational institutions in their States and Union Territories.

In her letter, the President has pointed out that the repeated incidents in the past few months indicate that “the perverse practice of ragging has not only become rampant in our educational institutions but also acquired hideous proportions costing the sanity and life of some of the students. What is more worrisome is the persistent spread of this scourge both across a range of educational institutions as also across the length and breadth of our country.”

“Unseemly blot”

Ms. Patil said: “Such disorderly, aggressive, and inhuman conduct by senior students inflicting physical cruelty and mental torment on the freshers has outraged society at large.” The President has asked the Governors and Lt. Governors to use their knowledge, wisdom and experience in galvanising society to wipe out the “unseemly blot” from our educational sector.

The President has noted that the Supreme Court had already taken a strong stand on this issue and rules and regulations to prevent ragging, including laws, have already been enacted at different levels or are in the process of being enacted. She has asked the Governors and Lt. Governors to consider whether such legislation, if it does not exist in their States and Union Territories, could be brought in.

Ms. Patil has said that while it is the primary responsibility of the managements of educational institutions and teachers to prevent ragging, “it would make eminent sense if parents and guardians are mobilised to counsel their wards to behave more responsibly and be supportive in their dealings with juniors.”

The cooperation of NGOs active in this field will be helpful in creating a climate of awareness against ragging and in alleviating the trauma of victims.

“As the new academic calendar is about to commence soon, time has come when all the stakeholders in the realm of education and civil society need to seriously ponder and put their act together to prevent the menace of ragging. Your sagacious counsel and guidance to all stakeholders will go a long way in furthering this cause,” the President has said in her letter.

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