Surprise checks in hostels and awareness camps for students will form part of the new steps being taken by the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) against the menace of ragging.
Stringent action will be taken against students involved in ragging based on the recommendations made by the Supreme Court against such barbarism on campuses. Monitoring will be strengthened at hostels and classrooms to check incidents of ragging. The anti-ragging squad will make surprise raids on hostels and other hot spots on the campus. It will also inspect places of ‘potential ragging' to nab the culprits.
Elaborating on the steps taken against ragging, N. Chandramohanakumar, Registrar, told The Hindu on Saturday that the university has asked the Principals of affiliated colleges to launch anti-ragging squads on the campus. Similar squads will also be set up at the postgraduate departments and School of Engineering at the Thrikkakara campus of Cusat soon.
Dr. Chandramohankumar said that the anti-ragging squads on the campus would keep a strict vigil on students involved in ragging. He said that the university has taken a serious view of the directions given by the apex court against ragging.
All the heads of departments have been asked to submit an action taken report every two weeks during the first three months of the academic year. They should later submit a monthly report to the university explaining the steps taken against the menace. The department heads and faculty members will educate newcomers about their rights against harassment of any kind including ragging.
The university will prepare a calendar of events and activities to facilitate and complement familiarisation of juniors with the academic environment of the institution. Joint sensitisation programme and counselling of both freshers and seniors by a professional counsellor will be undertaken. Hostel warden will address all students besides educating them against the ills of ragging. University authorities said that complaints against ragging submitted by students would be immediately handed over to the police.
B. Kemal Pasha, Principal District Judge, will inaugurate an anti-ragging campaign organised by the youth welfare department of the university on Monday. Separate campaigns will be held for postgraduate and B. Tech students on the campus.
