Anti-Ragging Regulations and Measures

1.  Aim

To  ensure  that  no  ragging  takes  place  in  the  Institute  and  its  hostel  premises,  by promulgating  and  enforcing  stringent  anti-ragging  measures,  and  making  provisions for deterrent and hard punishment to defaulters.

2.  References

• Judgements of the Supreme Court of  India
• Report of the R.K. Raghavan Committee appointed by the Supreme Court
• Regulations and Guidelines from the University Grants Commission of India, andother sources

3. Ragging is a Grave Crime

Ragging is a cognizable offence (offence for which the police can arrest the offender without warrant). This heinous practice has caused deaths and  suicides of many bright students in the recent  past  in  India,  forcing  the  Supreme  Court  to  take  a  serious  view  of  the  menace,  and recommend  deterrent  and  justifiably  harsh  punishment  to  those  guilty  of  ragging.  So,  a ragging  complaint  against  a  student,  if  found valid  after  investigation,  can  straightaway become a criminal case and land the perpetrator in serious trouble. The Institute is bound to take strong action against him or her, and regardless of this, the law of the land will catch up with the offender with hard punishment.

The excuse that ragging is a harmless interaction of senior students with juniors is no longer tenable.  The  so  called  induction  sessions  often  cross  all  barriers  of  human  decency  and degenerate  into  gruesome  incidents.  This  is  viewed  by  experts  as  a  serious  flaw  in  the schooling and upbringing of the offenders.

According to clinical psychologists and counsellors, ragging can impact the victims in many ways.  It  can  lead  to  negative  repercussions  like  low  self-esteem,  depression  and  anxiety,  a negative  valuation  of  oneself  and  frustration  at  being  helpless  and  not  being  able  to  defend  oneself.  This  not  only  affects  the  academic  performance  of  the  individual,  but  brings  down the prestige of the Institute in general.

As  per  the  Supreme  Court  directive,  the primary  responsibility  of  preventing  ragging  rests with  the  educational  institution  itself,  by  sensitizing  the  students  and  parents  on  the  highly immoral side of it, cautioning the students that indulging in ragging can dash all their career goals, and by taking stern action against the offenders.

Thus, our motto is: Zero Tolerance to Ragging! A firm NO to ragging in any form!!

We have put in place a structured mechanism to monitor ragging related issues and mete out the most stringent punishment to the wrong-doers. Most areas of our academic block, hostels and  mess  are  under  constant  camera  surveillance;  we  have  Anti-ragging  Squads  in  the Institute  and  Hostels,  and  an  Institute-level  Anti-ragging  Committee  to  oversee  and  enforce the anti-ragging regulations in letter and spirit.

The students will be divided into groups, and each group assigned to a Faculty Advisor who would  take  general  care  of  the  particular  student  group,  and  interact  with  them  on  a  day  to day basis. The freshers are encouraged to make full use of this, and interact with the Faculty Advisor on any academic or personal problem and seek help and counsel to overcome that.

4. What Constitutes Ragging 

According to the Honourable Supreme Court of India, ragging means: “Any disorderly conduct whether by words spoken or written or by an act which has the effect of 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 thereof in a fresher or a junior student, or asking the students to do any actor 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.”

Specifically,ragging  constitutes  any  one  or  more  of  the  following  acts  (the  list  is  only illustrative):

(a) Any conduct by any student or students whether by words spoken or written or by an act which  has  the  effect  of  teasing,  treating,  or  handling  with  rudeness  a  fresher  or  any  other student.

(b) Indulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities by any student or students which causes or are likely to cause annoyance, hardship or psychological or physical harm or to raise the fear or apprehension thereof in a fresher or any other student.

(c) Asking the students to do or perform any act which such  student will not in the ordinary course do, and which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame or torment or embarrassment  so  as  to  adversely  affect  the  physique  or  psyche  of  such fresher  or  any other student.

(d)  Any  act  by  a  senior  student  that  prevents,  disrupts  or  disturbs  the  regular  academic activity of any other student or fresher.

(e) Exploiting the services of a fresher or any other student for completing the academic tasks assigned to an individual or a group of students.

(f) Any act of financial extortion or forceful expenditure burden put on a fresher or any other student by other students.

(g)  Any  act  of  physical  abuse  including  all  of  its  variants,  viz.,  sexual  abuse,  homosexual assaults, stripping,  and forcing obscene and lewd acts, gestures, causing bodily harm or any other danger to health or person.

(h)  Any  act  or  abuse  by  spoken  words,  e-mails,  posts, or  public  insults  which  would  also include  deriving  perverted  pleasure,  vicarious  or  sadistic  thrill,  or  showing  off  power, authority  or  superiority,  or  passively  participating  in  the  discomfiture  to  any  fresher  or  any other student.

(i)  Any  act  that  affects  the  mental  health  and  self-confidence  of  a  fresher  or  any  other student  with  or  without  an  intent  to  derive  a  sadistic  pleasure  or  showing  off  power, authority or superiority over any fresher.

5. Prohibition of Ragging

Ragging in any form is strictly prohibited

(a) within the Institute Campus including the Departments, Canteen, etc.,

(b) in Hostels, Messes, Canteens, Cafeteria, etc., and

(c) in Playgrounds, Transport Vehicles, etc.

6. Punishment

(a) By the Institute:

• Cancellation of admission, suspension, rustication or expulsion from the Institute/ Hostel.
• Filing FIR with the police.
• Collective punishment may be imposed where the  persons involved are not identified.

(b) By the Law & Order Agencies: Over  and  above  the  Institute-level  action,  there  will  be  strong  police  and  legal  action. Ragging is a cognizable offence under the law of the land, and the Supreme Court has ruled that  the  punishment  to  be  meted  out  has  to  be  exemplary  and  justifiably  harsh  to  act  as  a deterrent. According  to  relevant  sections  of  the  The  Indian  Penal  Code  (IPC),  those  found  guilty  of a ragging  related offence  can be punished with imprisonment or fine or both. The quantum  of  punishment  varies  with  the  gravity  of  the  crime.  For  example,  Section  323 which deals with  the  cases  of voluntarily  causing hurt,  can lead  to  imprisonment up to one year  or  fine  or  both;  Section  306  which  deals  with  abetment  to  suicide,  specifies  the punishment  as  imprisonment  up  to  ten  years  with  or  without  fine.  Some  other  sections  of IPC   in   this   context   include   Section   341   (wrongful   restraint),   Section   506   (criminal intimidation), Section 302 (murder), Section 307 (attempt to murder), etc.

7. Measures to Curb Ragging

(a) Before Admission:

(i)  The  Admission  and  Registration  Form  at  the  time  of  registration  for  a  semester  will require two Affidavits, one signed by the student and the other signed by the parent. Draft of the Affidavits required are given at:

• Annexure I – Anti-Ragging Affidavit by the student
• Annexure II – Anti-Ragging Affidavit by the parent

(ii) A student will not be admitted /registered until both the Affidavits mentioned above are submitted.

(b) On Admission and Registration:

(i) Every student, at the time of Registration will be given a copy of this handbook outlining details of the Anti-Ragging Regulation for which he / she shall sign having received it, and its record will be maintained in the Institution.

(ii) This handbook has the necessary instructions to freshers on whom to  contact in  case  of any ragging incident or any  attempt at ragging. This includes the contact mobile numbers of the    Institute    Anti-Ragging  Squad  members,  Anti-Ragging  Committee  members,  Hostel Anti-Ragging    Squad  members,  Faculty  Advisors and  designated  persons  of  the  Institute Administration.

8. General Instructions

(a) Anti-Ragging Committee: The  Institute  has  set  up  an  Anti-Ragging  Committee  headed  by a  Senior  Professor.  It  will comprise senior faculty members, staff  and  a Police representative  (Station House Officer, Walayar Police Station).

This  Committee  will  ensure  that  no  incidents  of  ragging  as  given  in  this  Regulation  takes place,  and  it  will  also  monitor  and  ensure  that  the  instructions  of  this  regulation  are  fully followed in letter and spirit at all times.

The  Committee  will  also  maintain  the  strictest  vigil  at  all  times  and  ensure  that  the  Anti-Ragging  Squad  of  the  Institute  carries  out  its  functions  properly.  It  will  deliberate  on  the reports  of  the  Anti-Ragging  Squads  or  of  any  other  person  who  witnesses  the  incident  of ragging, or on the complaint of any fresher or other students, and determine the punishment, namely, Institute level disciplinary action or filing FIR with police or both.

(b) Institute-level Anti-Ragging Squad: The   Anti-Ragging   Squad   of   the   Institute   comprises   senior   faculty   members,   and representatives   of      students.   Its   function   includes   going   around   /   patrolling   the Departments,    common  areas  of  the  Campus and  other  premises  like  playground,  and maintain vigil at all times on all days and take action if they notice any incident of ragging or attempt at it.

The Anti-Ragging Squad also has the responsibility to investigate incidents of ragging and report  it  forthwith  to  the  Anti-Ragging  Committee.  The  Anti-Ragging  Committee  may  also entrust the Squad with specific investigative jobs.

(c) Anti-Ragging Squad (Hostel): The  Anti-Ragging  Squad  of  the  Hostel  comprises  the  Hostel  Warden  and  several  staff members and students who would be staying in the Hostel. Its function is to keep vigil in the hostel  and  mess  premises,  and  take  action  when  ragging  related  complaints  or  issues  crop up.

(d) Faculty Advisors: Each student will be assigned to a Faculty Advisor. The Faculty Advisors would frequently interact  with the  students,  or  the  students  can  freely  approach  them  for  any  help  or  advice. The Faculty Advisors will also coordinate with the Hostel Wardens and  make surprise visits to the hostels to monitor and look after the welfare of the students.

(e) Do's and Don'ts for Fresher Students:

• Be courteous to all. It will make a favorable impression of you.
• Always speak the truth, but never be blunt.
• Always keep your cell phone with you. Keep it on silent / vibration mode.
• Load your cell phone with all important contact numbers of the Institute / hostels / your parents.

9. Instructions Specific to Hostels

The accommodation for the fresher students will be in a separate hostel block. The fresher hostel  block  will  be  clearly  demarcated    and  entry  into  the  freshers'  hostel  will  be  manned by security staff round the clock. No  one,  particularly  senior  students,  will  be  permitted  to  enter  the  freshers'  hostel  at any time,  except  with  express  permission  from the Warden.  Similarly,  fresher  students  are  not permitted  to  visit  hostels  of  senior students.  The  responsibility  for  ensuring  the  above instructions will be of the security guard/guards on duty at the entry points to the freshers' hostels. All students shall report back in their respective hostel rooms latest by 9:00 PM. Attendance  of  hostel  students,  both  freshers  and  seniors,  will  be  taken  at  9:00  PM  and  the report submitted to the Anti-Ragging Squad.All students shall abide by the Hostel Rules and the Anti-Ragging Regulations.

10. Anti-Ragging Patrols

If  necessary,  Anti-Ragging  Patrols  may  be  specifically  detailed  by  the  Chairman,  Anti-Ragging Committee. These patrols may operate 24 hours in the campus,  hostels, and nearby premises.

11. Reporting of Ragging Incidents or Apprehension thereof

Freshers are requested to report any ragging-related matter to the Hostel Warden, any faculty or staff member, Faculty Advisor, or any member of the Anti-Ragging Committee or Squads.Any fresher student who went through or is apprehensive of an impending ragging incident shall  promptly  report  it  to  any  member  of  the  Anti-Ragging  Squad  or  the  Anti-Ragging Committee, or to the Staff Advisor, or any  faculty member or staff by any means such as, in  person,  by  phone  call,  by  e-mail,  by  written  note,  etc.  The  written  complaints  may  also be  dropped  in  the  drop boxes  kept  prominently  for  this  purpose  at  various  locations  in the academic buildings and hostels. The complaints can even be anonymous.

12. Action Procedure

Anti-Ragging  Patrol  or  Anti-Ragging  Squads shall  immediately  report  any  incident  of ragging or attempt or conspiracy for ragging, or any related complaint to the Anti-Ragging Committee.  The  Anti-Ragging  Committee  will  consider  the  matter,  investigate  and  take immediate action as per the situation.

13. Instructions to Parents

• Instruct your wards to desist  from ragging freshers or other students in any form.
• Keep regular contact with your wards and monitor their well being and academic progress.
• Frequently  interact  with  the  Faculty  Advisor  and  other  faculty  members  to  track  the  welfare and progress of your wards (every student will have a faculty advisor).

14. Freshers' Induction

The   academic   session   begins   with   a   special   two-week   orientation-cum-induction programme  to  wean  the  freshers  to  the    IIT  system.    This  is  a  structured  programme  consisting  of  a  variety  of  activities  including  discussions,  cultural  programmes,  sports  and yoga; the  idea  is  to  bring  about  healthy  social  interactions  among  students,  faculty  and staff,  and  to  introduce  the  newcomers  to  the  local  environment  and  culture.  The  junior students are advised to take full advantage of this programme, and interact with their peers, seniors,  teachers  and  other  staff,  and  tide  over any  homesickness  or  other  difficulties.  The induction  programme  will  culminate  in  the  National  Independence  Day  Celebration  in which  the  freshers  are  encouraged  to  play  a  leading  role,  and  herald  their  arrival  on  the scene at IIT Palakkad