UGC Regulation on Restricting Ragging

UGC Regulation on Curbing Ragging

In June 2009, the UGC has notified a comprehensive set of regulations to curb the menace of ragging in educational institutions.

What is Ragging?

As per the UGC Regulations 2009, ‘Ragging’ constitutes one or more of any of the following acts:

1. 1. Any conduct by any student or students whether by words spoken or written or by an act which rudeness a freshener or any other student.
2. 2. Indulging in rowdy or indisciplined activities by any student or students which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship, physical or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in any fresher or any other student.
3. 3. Asking any student to do any act which such student will not in the ordinary course do and which has the effect or causing in generating a sense of shame, or torment or embracement so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of such fresher or any other student;
4. 4. Any act by a senior student that prevents, disrupts or disturbs the regular academic activity of any other student including a fresher.
5. 5. Exploiting the services of a fresher or any other student for completing the academic tasks assigned to an individual or group of students.
6. 6. Any act of financial extortion or forceful expenditure burden put on a fresher or any other student by students.
7. 7. Any act of physical abuse including all variants of sexual abuse, homosexual assaults, stripping, forced obscene and lewd acts, gestures, causing bodily harm or any other danger to health or person.
8. 8. Any act or abuse by spoken words which would also include deriving perverted pleasure, vicarious or sadistic thrill from actively or passively participating in the discomfiture to fresher or any other student.
9. 9. Any act that the mental health and self-confidence of a fresher or any other student with or without an intent to derive a sadistic pleasure or showing off power, authority or superiority by a student over any fresher or any other student.

Punishments for Ragging

The UGC regulations stipulate that students can be expelled from an institute and debarred from taking admission to any other institute for a specified period after being found guilty of the offence.

As per the regulations any students can be fined up to Rs. 2.5 Lakhs if found guilty of ragging. The UGC regulations provide for justification of a student, a period from one to four semesters.

Depending upon the nature and gravity of the offence as established by the Anti-Ragging Committee of the institution, the possible punishments for those found guilty of ragging at the institution level shall be any one or any combination of the following:

1. 1. Suspension from attending classes and academic privileges.
2. 2. Withholding/withdrawing scholarship/fellowship and other benefits.
3. 3. Debarring from appearing in any test/examination or other evaluation process.
4. 4. Withholding results.
5. 5. Debarring from representing the institution in any regional, national or international meet, tournament, youth festival etc.
6. 6. Suspension/expulsion from the hostel
7. 7. Cancellation of admission
8. 8. Rustication from the institution for periods ranging from 1 to 4 semesters
9. 9. Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution for a specified period
10. 10. Fine ranging between Rupees 25,000/- and Rupees 2.5 lakh
11. 11. Collective punishment: When the persons committing or abetting the crime of ragging are not identified, the institution shall resort to collective punishment.