Editor,
Through this letter in your esteemed daily, I would like to voice my opinion about the recent incident of Ragging in North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Tura Campus, which is abhorrent and uncalled for. I condemn this act of pushing a student’s action to act for the fun of the seniors even though stringent laws imposed by the Apex Court (The Supreme Court of India) as well as the UGC (University Grants Commission).
The Supreme Court of India has defined it as. “Any disorderly conduct whether by words spoken, or written or by an act which adversely affects the physique or psyche of fresher or a junior student is an act of ragging.” But if through ragging the decency and morals are violated, one’s body gets injured, if any wrongful restraint and criminals’ intimidation is involved in it, then ragging becomes a legal offence.
For such cases, there are certain punishments in UGC’s anti-ragging guidelines which includes a fine up to Rs 25,000, cancellation of admission, with-holding scholarship, debarring from appearing for exams, suspension or expulsion from hostel and rustication from a period of one to four semesters.
Ragging does not only torture the student’s self-respect and self-esteem. Many students do not understand the serious consequences of ragging. Rather most of them still dismiss it as being fun and a part of the entertainment. They fail to understand how severely ragging impacts the affected students.
Quoting from recent past events, students go through a long period of severe anxiety after being a victim of ragging. This anxiety can eventually result in insomnia and other physical problems which have a direct impact on the studies. This causes acute stress in the student both physically and takes a heavy toll on their mental health, resulting in PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), depression and sad to say even suicide. Even many bright students become unable to deal with the trauma of ragging and sometimes have to quit college or eventually have poor academic results due to this heinous crime.
This culture, this crime needs to be dealt with firmly and the transgressors involved should be dealt with severe punishment as per law established under the Anti-Ragging Act and to put an end to the rise of this ugly head crime called “Ragging”! Period.
Chanmiki Laloo
Shillong-2
