The Shillong College Students’ Union organised a programme today on the subject of ragging for first semester students.
Civil servant B Mawlong and Advocate R Ranee were the resource persons on the occasion.
Mawlong referred to his engineering college days in Hyderabad during his speech. According to him, ragging is a Western concept that was brought to India as a way for seniors and juniors to socially interact. However, today ragging has become a serious issue as it has destroyed not just careers but also lives.
Enlightening on what constitutes ragging, Mawlong also pointed to the effects of ragging. While expressing happiness that the students’ council and the management of the college are not passive on this issue, he also urged the students not to indulge in ragging and to use the mechanisms in place to report any such cases if they happen.
Ranee narrated as to how the University Grants Commission Anti Ragging Act 2009 originated. Referring to Meghalaya and the absence of a state law that specifically deals with ragging, he stated that central regulations including the Indian Penal Code and UGC Anti Ragging Act 2009 thereby come into play, rendering ragging as a very serious issue.
The others who spoke during this interactive programme included the college Principal, E Kharkongor, Vice-Principal B Syiem and students’ union general secretary Arisson T Marboh.
