Central anti-ragging agency soon

A central helpline to help victims of ragging at educational institutions will be set up in a week the government tells the Supreme Court after placing a probe report that cites alcoholism on campus as one of the main reasons behind the menace

The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development has begun work on developing a model for a proposed ‘crisis helpline’ to enable victims of ragging across the country to seek immediate help. The government hopes to put the mechanism in place in around a week.

The concept of a central agency with a helpline, which will be web-based, is the brainchild of Rajender Kachroo, whose 19-year-old son Aman died after being assaulted by seniors last month at a government medical college in the state of Himachal Pradesh.

Aman’s father has also suggested the creation of an anti-ragging database that will feature the names of students, and list ragging complaints, to ensure effective monitoring and prevention of the practice.

Once the database/helpline comes into operation, state governments are also expected to amend their anti-ragging statutes to include provisions that place penal consequences on institutional heads who do not take timely steps to prevent ragging and punish those who resort to it.

Amicus curiae and Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam said: “The HRD ministry has already commenced work on developing a model for the crisis-centre helpline and the anti-ragging database. The ministry has sought the assistance of Educational Consultants India Ltd as a consultant in this project.”

Subramaniam revealed this to a bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and A K Ganguly hearing petitions relating to recent cases of ragging at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Himachal Pradesh, and College of Agricultural Engineering, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh.

The two cases were referred to the R K Raghavan Committee along with other recent incidents of ragging -- one in Coimbatore and the other in Goa.

In his status report, Subramaniam referred to the Raghavan Committee’s findings submitted to the court, blaming alcoholism on campus, failure of colleges to set up anti-ragging squads and implement recommendations to prevent ragging.

He said the inquiry committee had found that “wardens and assistant wardens in the college took up their assignments reluctantly and did not discharge their duties as was required of them”. The report also points out that the wardens were found to be living outside the hostel premises, defeating the purpose of creating such a position.

It further blames the Medical Council of India (MCI) for not taking immediate action to put down the menace.

The court has asked the Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh governments to file their response to the report later this week.