Ragging is a form of abuse on newcomers to educational institutions. Some senior students force the unorganized newcomers to undergo several forms of mental, physical and sexual abuses and includes.

(a) Teasing or abusing, playing practical jokes or causing hurt to any student.

(b) Asking any student to do any act, or perform anything, which he/she would not, in the ordinary course, be willing to do.

The juniors are usually too frightened to resist their organized group of tormentors. In recent times this practice has turned ugly. Every year number of cases of severe physical ragging as well as sexual abuses during the ragging. This has a great adverse psychological impact on the personality of the students and the scars of such incidents take a very long time to heal.

Ragging includes the following:

Any conduct, by spoken or written words or by an act which has the effect of harassing, teasing, treating or handling with rudeness any other student, indulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension in a fresher or a junior student;asking the students to do any act or perform something which such student will not in the ordinary course and which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of a fresher or a Junior student.

Punishable ingredients of Ragging:-

•  Abetment to ragging;
•  Criminal conspiracy to rag;
•  Unlawful assembly and rioting while ragging;
•  Public nuisance created during ragging;
•  Violation of decency and morals through ragging;
•  Injury to body, causing hurt or grievous hurt;
•  Wrongful restraint;
•  Wrongful confinement;
•  Use of criminal force;
•  Assault as well as sexual offences or even unnatural offences;
•  Extortion;
•  Criminal trespass,
•  Offences against property;
•  Criminal intimidation;
•  Attempts to-commit, any or all of the above mentioned offences against the victim(s);
•  Physical or psychological humiliation
•  All other offences following from the definition of “Ragging”
  
  

Measures for prohibition of ragging : –

The Medical/Dental College/Institution/ University shall strictly observe, the provisions of the Act of the Central Government and the State Governments, If any, or if enacted and/ or for the time being in force, considering ragging as a cognizable offence under the law at par with rape and other atrocities, against women and ill-treatment of persons belonging to the SC/ST and prohibiting ragging in all its forms in all institutions.

Ragging in all its forms shall be totally banned in the entire Medical/Dental College/ institution/University including its departments, constituent units, all its premises (academic, residential ,sports, canteen, etc) whether located within the campus or outside and in all means of transportation of students whether public or private.

The Medical/Dental College/Institution / University shall take strict action against those found guilty of ragging and/ or of abetting ragging.

Every institution shall have an Anti-Ragging Committee and an Anti -Ragging Squad All matters of discipline within teaching institutions must be resolved within the campus except those impinging on law and order or breach of peace or public tranquility, all of which should be dealt with under the penal laws of the land

The Medical / Dental College/Institution University shall arrange for regular and periodic psychological counseling and orientation for students (for freshers separately, as well as jointly with seniors) by professional counselors during the first three months of the new academic year. This shall be done at the institution and department/ course levels. Parents and teachers shall also be involved in such sessions.

Awardable Punishments

1. At the Medical/Dental College/ Institution level:

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 anyone or any combination of the following:

• •  Suspension from attending c1asses and academic privileges
  •  Withholding/withdrawing scholarship/fellowship and other benefits
  •  Debarring from appearing in any test/ examination or other evaluation processes.
  •  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 specific period.
  •  Fine of Rs. 25,000/- or Rs. 1 lakh.
  •  Collective punishment: When the persons committing or abetting the crime of ragging are not identified the institution shall resort to collective punishment.
  •  There are no penal consequences for the heads of institution/ administration of the institution who do not take timely steps in the prevention of ragging and punishing those who rag.
  •  At the MCI level and DCI level also action in initiated against the erring college.

Secretary
Medical/Dental Council of India

Download Anti Ragging Affidavit Form

Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges/Institutions by Medical Council of India

Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Dental Colleges/Institutions by Dental Council of India