City colleges vow to stamp out the ragging menace

Sakaal Times: Spurred by University Grants Commission's (UGC) comprehensive regulations, heads of city colleges vow to stamp out the ragging menace.

Sir Parshurambhau College, which witnessed unrest on its campus last year, is planning a workshop for hostel students and staffers of all colleges in the city. This workshop is intended to make students aware of the stringent anti-ragging regulations, said principal Dilip Seth.

Most city colleges have received copies of the UGC regulations and are taking preventive steps, said principals of different colleges. Principals of leading colleges outlined measures taken against ragging.

Seth said, "The college has formed anti-ragging committee according to the UGC regulations. We are preparing boards to display details of regulations. We have 200 boys and 150 girls in our hostels. The college also plans to furnish UGC regulations at a meeting of parents of hostel students. Besides, I plan to hold a workshop for all hostel students and staffers of all colleges next month."

Principal Bhagwan Thakur of Nowrosjee Wadia College said, "I strongly believe prevention is better than cure. We have incorporated heads of National Cadet Corps, National Service Scheme (NSS) and sports teachers in the anti-ragging committee at college level. In Wadia, campus discipline is of utmost importance. Mandatory use of identity cards helps to ensure disciplined atmosphere. I plan to start principal's address at hostels too."

Principal Ravindrasingh Pardeshi of Fergusson College said, "We have taken an undertaking from every student admitted in the college as well as hostels as per UGC norms. The committee has also been formed. Fergusson has 350 boys and 200 girls in hostels. The hostel superintendent has been instructed to conduct random checks and address complaints of students immediately."

Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC) Principal A V Deshpande said, "BMCC has published UGC regulations in the college prospectus as well as students' handbook. Students have also been cautioned about adverse effect of involvement in ragging on their academic career. BMCC has a counselling cell where students can register their complaints."

Principal of Wadia College, Bhagwan Thakur said they have   incorporated NCC, NSS students in anti-ragging squads.Source:punekar.in

Chhattisgarh vows zero-tolerance against ragging

Raipur, June 29 (IANS) Chhattisgarh will adopt a zero-tolerance policy against ragging and will even cancel affiliation of the education institute where any such incident is reported, Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan said Monday.
Presiding over a meeting of vice-chancellors of various universities at Raj Bhavan ahead of the beginning of new academic session July 1, Narasimhan asked them to adopt a zero-tolerance policy against ragging and take all steps to ensure not a single student is harassed in educational institutes.

He told the vice-chancellors that institutions where ragging takes place will be be held responsible for the incident and its affiliation cancelled.source:thaindian.com

President asks states to enact laws to check ragging

New Delhi, June 26 (IANS) Concerned over several incidents of ragging reported from across the country, President Pratibha Patil Friday wrote to all the state governments to enact laws to prevent ragging in educational institutions.
In a letter written to all governors and Lieutenant Governors, Patil asked them to help to eliminate the menace of ragging.

"The Supreme Court has already taken a strong stand on ragging and rules and regulations including laws have already been enacted at different levels or are in the process of being enacted. The governors and lt. governors need to consider whether such legislation, if it does not exist in their states and union territories, could be brought in," a communique from the President's Office said.

The president said that the repeated incidents indicates "the perverse practice of ragging has not only become rampant in our educational institutions but acquired hideous proportions costing the sanity and life of some of the students".

"What is more worrisome is the persistent spread of this scourge both across a range of educational institutions as also across the length and breadth of our country. Such disorderly, aggressive, and inhuman conduct on the part of senior students inflicting physical cruelty and mental torment on the freshers has outraged society at large," she said.

According to the president, it is the primary responsibility of the management of educational institutions and the teachers to prevent ragging. However, "it would make eminent sense if parents and guardians are mobilised to counsel their wards to behave more responsibly and be supportive in their dealings with their juniors".

"As the new academic calendar is about to commence soon, time has come when all the stake holders in the realm of education and civil society need to seriously ponder and put their act together to prevent the menace of ragging," she said.Source:thaindian.com