The Hindu : National : Sibal talks tough on ragging

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National

Sibal talks tough on ragging

K.V. Prasad

The government will now proceed to check ragging in schools, he says

Anti-ragging squads and committees set up
Institutes that fail to take action to face penal action

NEW DELHI: The government on Friday affirmed its commitment for “zero tolerance” to ragging in higher educational institutions, with Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal informing the Rajya Sabha that comprehensive steps had been taken to check the menace.

Replying to a short duration discussion on the need to strengthen the measures to prevent ragging in institutions of higher education, Mr. Sibal said the institutions supported by the University Grants Commission (UGC) were brought under strict regulation with the backing of law. Communication was also sent to the Medical Council of India, Dental Council of India, Indian Nursing Council and the All India Council for Technical Education that they should adopt the UGC regulations for the institutes that fell under their purview. The government would now proceed to check ragging in schools, he said.

Unlike the earlier mindset when incidents of ragging within college/university premises were not treated as a criminal act, now all precincts would be taken as ordinary public place the where regulation would be applied.

“The government is committed to deal with this menace to ensure lives of young is not affected by this scourge,” the Minister said, adding that besides the guidelines a helpline was set up for students to file complaints that would be acted upon within 15 minutes.

Since June 16 (when the helpline became operational) till June 27, a total of 15,223 queries were directed to the special telephone number. Only 77 were real complaints and 63 forwarded to institutes. Three cases were closed while the rest were under investigation, he said.

Besides the helpline, anti-ragging squads and committees under Principals were set up. Online information would also be provided for the complainants to track the progress.

The Minister said the regulations included the suspension of the erring students from class, withholding scholarships and results, barring them from taking examinations, cancelling their admission or rustication, expelling them and consequent debarring from admission, etc. The institutes which fail to take action could also face penal action in the form of withholding their recognition, grants or allocation by the UGC.

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