Measures for Prevention of Ragging at Institutional Level

Measures for prevention of ragging at the institution level:-

Before admissions

The advertisement for admissions shall clearly mention that ragging is totally banned in the institution, and anyone found guilty of ragging and/or abetting ragging is liable to be punished appropriately. 

The 'Prospectus' and other admission related documents shall incorporate all directions of the Supreme Court and/or the Central or State Governments as applicable, so that the candidates and their parents/guardians are sensitized in respect of the prohibition and consequences of ragging. If the institution is an affiliating university, it shall make it mandatory for the institutions under it to compulsorily incorporate such information in their 'Prospectus'.

 The application form for admission/enrolment shall have a printed undertaking, to be filled up and signed by the candidate to the effect that he/she is aware of the law regarding prohibition of ragging as well as the punishments, and to the effect that he/she has not found been expelled and/or debarred from admission by any institution and that he/she, if found guilty of the offence of ragging and/or abetting ragging, is liable to be punished appropriately. 

The application form shall also contain printed undertaking, to be signed by the parent/guardian of the applicant to the effect that he/she is also aware of the law in this regard and agrees to abide by the punishment meted out to his/her ward in case the latter is found guilty of ragging and/or abetting ragging. 

The application for admission shall be accompanied by a document in the form of the School Leaving Certificate/Transfer Certificate/ Migration Certificate/Character Certificate, as the case may be, which shall include a report on the behavioral pattern of the applicant, so that the institution can thereafter keep intense watch upon a student who has a negative entry in this regard. 

A student seeking admission to the hostel shall have to submit additional undertaking along with his/her application for hostel accommodation. 

At the commencement of the academic session, the Head of the Institution shall convene and address a meeting of various functionaries/agencies, like Hostel Wardens, representatives of students, parents/guardians, faculty, district administration including police, to discuss the measures to be taken to prevent ragging in the Institution and steps to be taken to identify the offenders and punish them suitably.

To make the community at large and the students in particular aware of the dehumanizing effect of ragging, and the approach of the institution towards those indulging in ragging, big posters (preferably multicolored with different colours for the provisions of law, punishments, etc.) shall be prominently displayed on all Notice Boards of all departments, hostels and other buildings as well as at vulnerable places. Some of such posters shall be of permanent nature in certain vulnerable places. 

The institution shall request the media to give adequate publicity to the law prohibiting ragging and the negative aspects of ragging and the institution's resolve to ban ragging and punish those found guilty without fear or favour. 

The institution shall identify, properly illuminate and man all vulnerable locations. 

The institution shall tighten security in its premises, especially at the vulnerable places. If necessary, intense policing shall be resorted to at such points at odd hours during the early months of the academic session. 

The institution shall utilize the vacation period before the start of the new academic year to launch wide publicity campaign against ragging through' posters, leaflets, seminars, street plays, etc. 

The faculties/departments/units of the institution shall have induction arrangements (including those which anticipate, identify and plan to meet any special needs of any specific section of students) in place well in advance of the beginning of the academic year with a clear sense of the main aims and objectives of the induction process. 

On admission

Every fresh student admitted to the institution shall be given a printed leaflet detailing when and to whom he/she has to turn to for help and guidance for various purposes (including Wardens, Head of the Institution, members of the anti-ragging committees, relevant district and police authorities), addresses and telephone numbers of such persons/authorities, etc. so that the fresher need not look up to the seniors for help in such matters and get indebted to them and start doing things, right or wrong, at their behest. Such a step will reduce the freshers' dependence on their seniors. 

The institution, through the leaflet mentioned above, shall explain to the new entrants the arrangements for their induction and orientation which promote efficient and effective means of integrating them fully as students. 

The leaflet mentioned above shall also tell the freshers about their rights as bona fide students of the institution and clearly instructing them that they should desist from doing anything against their will even if ordered by the seniors, and that they have nothing to fear as the institution cares for them and shall not tolerate any atrocities against them. 

The leaflet mentioned above shall contain a calendar of events and activities laid down by the institution to facilitate and complement familiarization of freshers with the academic environment of the institution.

 The institution shall also organize joint sensitization programmes of Freshers' and seniors. 

Freshers shall be encouraged to report incidents of ragging, either as victims, or even as witnesses. 

Measures for encouraging healthy interaction between freshers and seniors

The institution shall set up appropriate committees including the course-in-charge, student advisor, Warden and some senior students to actively monitor, promote and regulate healthy, interaction between the freshers and senior students. 

Freshers' welcome parties shall be organized in each department by the Senior students and the faculty together soon after admissions, preferably within the first two weeks of the beginning of the academic session, for proper introduction to one another and where the talents of the freshers are brought out properly in the presence of the faculty, thus helping them to shed their inferiority complex, if any, and remove their inhibition. 

The institution shall enhance the student-faculty interaction by involving the students in all matters of the institution, except those relating to the actual processes of evaluation and of faculty appointments, so that the students shall feel that they are responsible partners in managing the affairs of the institution and consequently the credit due to the institution for good work/performance is due to them as well.