College principal, university registrar to be held responsible for extreme ragging and suicides in educational institutions

To check the instances of ragging and suicides in the campuses, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has sought to strengthen anti-ragging regulations and fix accountability

Hyderabad: In cases of extreme ragging and suicides in higher educational institutions, the college principal and university registrar henceforth would be held accountable.

To check the instances of ragging and suicides in the campuses, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has sought to strengthen anti-ragging regulations and fix accountability.

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A notice issued recently by the UGC reads, “Henceforth for extreme ragging and suicide case, principal of the college and registrar of the university will be called and will be answerable to the national anti-ragging monitoring committee for the reasons of non-compliance of UGC regulations for ragging.”

The HEIs have been directed to empower the anti-ragging cell and anti-ragging squads in their colleges with a legal counsel so as to make an airtight case against the ragging culprits.

Stating that ragging is a criminal office, the UGC said it framed regulations to curb the menace of ragging. The ‘UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Education Institutions, 2009’ are mandatory and all institutions have been asked to take necessary steps for its implementation in toto including the monitoring mechanism.

The colleges, as part of an anti-ragging mechanism, have to constitute an anti-ragging committee, anti-ragging squads, and anti-ragging cell besides installing CCTV cameras at vital points. Apart from inspection of hostels, canteens, rest cum recreational rooms, toilets, bus-stands, the institutions have to display anti-ragging posters at prominent places on the college campus.

In compliance with the directions of the anti-ragging monitoring committee constituted by the Supreme Court, the UGC asked the HEIs to implement the concept of mentor-mentee so as to make a comfortable bond amongst juniors and seniors.

The institutions have also been told to ensure regular interaction and counselling with students, identification of trouble-triggers and mention of anti-ragging warning in the e-prospectus and e-information booklet/brochures.

Students in distress due to ragging related incidents can contact

National anti-ragging helpline 1800-180-5522

email at ‘helpline@antiragging.in’