Jadavpur student death: UGC reprimands varsity for ‘generic’ report, lack of measures to curb ragging

The UGC had sought a factual and action-taken report from the varsity after the 17-year-old student died after falling from a second-floor balcony of a hostel last week. His family alleged he was a victim of ragging.

New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has reprimanded Jadavpur University for submitting a “generic” report on the alleged ragging and sexual harassment of a student leading to his death, according to sources.

Noting that no proactive measures have been taken by the university to curb ragging on campus, the commission has told the university that it is not satisfied with the report.

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The UGC had sought a factual and action-taken report from the varsity after the 17-year-old student died after falling from a second-floor balcony of a hostel last week. His family alleged he was a victim of ragging.

“The report submitted was examined and it was found to be very generic in nature basically mentioning mostly the reactive approaches adopted in the matter than proactive measures taken to curb the menace of ragging. The commission is not satisfied with the report,” a source told PTI.

The UGC has further sought a compliance report on 12 queries raised by it and also documentary evidence within a day.

Six more former and current students of Jadavpur University were arrested for allegedly ragging and sexually harassing the freshman student of the varsity leading to his death, and were remanded in police custody by a Kolkata court till August 28.

Nine persons have been apprehended in this case so far, a police officer said.

Kolkata Police has taken cognisance of JU students’ social media posts, including photographs, which suggest that there was an element of sexual harassment in the ragging of the student.