Ragging persists as an age-old, contentious, and tragic concern for the educational institutions of India. In spite of the laws and guidelines promulgated to stop it, it continues to claim lives. It also causes unbearable suffering among the spirit of students. The recent surge in ragging complaints and associated deaths, as highlighted in a 2025 investigative report, reflects the failure of existing measures to curb this menace effectively. Despite Supreme Court guidelines and the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, there are significant gaps in the implementation and enforcement of anti-ragging measures, leading to a situation where victims continue to endure humiliation and even death.

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What is Ragging?

Ragging refers to the practice of senior students subjecting newcomers to various forms of physical or mental harassment under the guise of initiation into college life. It can range from harmless pranks to severe abuse. These can lead to psychological trauma or even death. Ragging often involves forcing junior students to perform humiliating acts, endure physical violence, or face verbal abuse. The law in India has recognized ragging as a serious offense. Educational institutions are mandated to take action against it.

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About Ragging in India

For centuries, ragging has been carried on in India. It is a common practice in Indian colleges and universities. Such unfortunate incidents have been reported over the years due to instances of ragging: some students commit suicide while some are tortured severely. Yes indeed, it is illegal and unethical, but this torture inflicts emotional trauma and creates a toxic atmosphere on the campus. Recently, a report was released that stated that complaints regarding ragging have increased considerably. Ongoing complaints registered with the University Grants Commission (UGC) helpline crossed 8000 from 2012 to present. The number of deaths due to ragging has also been very alarming: 78 students lost their lives due to ragging between January 2012 and October 2023.

Legal Consequences of Ragging in India

Ragging is regarded as an offense in India and provides the imposition of stern punishment for guilties. In its judgement in 2009 concerning ragging, the Supreme Court of India laid down a guideline for the anti-ragging act and said that all forms of ragging-whether mental, physical, or even verbal- ought to be taken seriously. According to the law, an institution must take strict measures, such as lodging FIRs to the police, completing an anti-ragging committee, and completing an anti-ragging squad. Ragging often luminously leads up to and foresees expulsion, suspension, fines, or imprisonment for the culprits. However, the implementation of these laws has not been uniform in practice and continues to be a menace in most campuses.

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Anti-Ragging Measures in India

Several steps have been taken by the Indian government and educational authorities to avoid ragging in the institutions. Some of the significant measures include:

• Supreme Court guidelines: The Supreme Court of India gave such guidelines in 2009 to eliminate ragging entirely. Establishment of Anti-Ragging Committees, squads, and the provision of helplines were made mandatory as per the guidelines. FIRs had to be lodged with the police, preferably in case of complaints about ragging, within 24 hours of receiving the complaint, and the safety and well-being of the victims had to be taken care of.

• The UGC Anti Ragging Regulations: The University Grants Commission (UGC) established UGC regulations regarding preventative actions against ragging in that institutions should be required to submit an affidavit by the students swearing not to be a part of ragging. UGC also provided helplines for receiving complaints and monitoring institutions' compliance with the regulations.
• Awareness Programmes: Institutions of higher learning organize awareness programs to sensitize students to the evils of ragging. These programs inform both students and faculty members about the adverse effects of ragging.
• Counseling and Support Facilities: Most universities and colleges offer counseling services to ragged or victimized students. The rehab centers have been successful in scooping survivors to pass through the emotional torture inflicted on the victims through ragging and creating a safe environment for them to speak out about their experiences.

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Gaps in the Anti-Ragging System

While several anti-ragging measures exist on paper, their implementation has been far from satisfactory. Some of the major gaps in the current system include:

• Many institutions do not respond effectively to complaints, notwithstanding the existence of legal provisions. For example, an anti-ragging measure-A FIR must be filed within 24 hours under UGC regulations, which a lot of institutions do not follow. Besides, the UGC has not taken any punitive action against any institution for non-compliance.
• Most incidents of ragging are either not reported by victims or are reported but treated as mere trivialities or internal disputes. By doing this, they take away from the seriousness of ragging incidents and make victims suffer without any relief.
• The UGC regulations mandate the establishment of anti-ragging squads and committees by institutions, yet little evidence exists to suggest that these bodies work efficiently. Furthermore, reporting ragging incidents vary considerably from institution to institution, and some of them cannot maintain proper records of complaints and actions taken.
• Students are often afraid to report ragging incidents owing to fear of retaliation from their seniors or the college authorities. This fear of retaliation often discourages victims from coming out, resulting in a large number of incidents remaining unreported.
• The on-duty authorities try to show an insensitivity in recognizing the ragging incidents and taking action thereupon. Many authorities fail to recognize the more subtle manifestations of bullying and harassment, such as social media abuse and psychological intimidation that also constitute ragging.

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Way Forward

So the concern of ragging can be resolved with the following steps:

• Stringent implementation of the Supreme Court guidelines on anti-ragging needs to be brought in urgently. Educational institutions must be held liable and accountable to the law, failing to abide by these rules. The UGC should keep an eye on the enforcement of anti-ragging measures and penalize the institutions that do not comply.
• Increased awareness campaigns, not only for the students, but also for faculty members and college authorities. With bringing them to a larger audience on the harmful physical and psychological effects of the effects of ragging on a student's life.
• One anonymous reporting mechanism should be established with an identity guard for the complainants. The technology should facilitate the use of that "safe reporting" among students who feel threatened against identification assaults.
• Colleges and universities must provide records of ragging complaints and actions taken on it. Regular visits by the UGC and other authorities will add thrust in the direction of taking the institutions to follow the process and support the victims.
• The appropriate penalty should be severe enough to discourage students from ragging and should involve final expulsion from the institution, suspension, and criminal action against the student. There must be counseling and care after trauma for the victims of ragging.

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Ragging is a disease of educational institutions in India which tends to grow with every passing year, despite various anti-ragging laws and regulations. To keep pace with the tragic deaths of students, many complaints of anti-ragging further demand a stronger apparatus. It is imperative that existing guidelines are enforced, reporting mechanisms are improved, and victim support strengthened, so that ragging never again sees the light of day in Indian educational institutions.

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UPSC Mains Practice Questions

1. Discuss the legal and institutional measures taken by the Government of India to prevent ragging in educational institutions. How effective have these measures been in curbing this menace?
2. Examine the reasons behind the persistence of ragging in Indian colleges and universities. What steps can be taken to eliminate this issue and ensure a safe learning environment for students?