Lok Sabha Question No. 4936 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-26
Subject: Ragging in Colleges
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4936 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.03.2018

## Ragging in Colleges

4936.  DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN:

SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO: SHRI SATAV RAJEEV: SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK: DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that about 40 per cent of students undergo some kind of ragging while studying in colleges and schools and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(b) whether the Government  has  appointed  a six member  committee  to  conduct psychological study of ragging in higher educational institutions and bullying in schools and if so, the details thereof along with the number of respondents interviewed;

(c) whether the Committee has submitted its report to the Government;

(d) if so, the main recommendations of the report; and

(e) whether the University Grants Commission (UGC) has been directed to write to the school  education  departments  for  implementation  of  the  committee's  recommendations  for putting a check on instances of bullying in schools and if so, the details thereof along with the other measures taken by the Government to end bullying and ragging in schools and colleges in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. SATYA PAL SINGH)

(a) to (e): In  order  to  address  the  issue  of  increase  in  ragging  cases  in  campuses,  the UGC has brought out the UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational  Institutions,  2009.  These  regulations  are  to  be  followed  mandatorily  by  all Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). Further, to increase awareness against ragging, media campaign is also undertaken every year. UGC also sends advisories to the Vice-Chancellors of all Universities to curb the menace of ragging. Ministry of Human Resource Development also  writes  to  all  States/UTs  every  year  to  create  a  sustained  awareness  campaign  against ragging. An Anti-Ragging toll free 'helpline' 1800-180-5522 in 12 languages has been made operational  with  Call  Centre  facilities  for  helping  victims  of  ragging,  besides  facilitating effective  coordinated  action  by  all  concerned.  The  UGC  has  developed  an  Anti-Ragging

Website  i.e.  www.antiragging.in.  The  Portal  contains  the  record  of  registered  complaints received and the status of the action taken thereon. An Anti-Ragging Mobile Application was launched  on  29 th May,  2017  for  filing  the  complaint  on  ragging/  filing  the  anti-ragging undertaking/ for calling the helpline number. This App can be downloaded from Google Play Store. The UGC has uploaded few videos on campaign against ragging, videos on different perspective  of  ragging  (of  offender,  of  parents  and  of  victim)  and  an  Anti-Ragging documentary. These videos are available at the UGC Webpage, http://www.ugc.ac.in/page/Videos-Regarding-Ragging.aspx. The Central Board of Secondary Education  (CBSE)  has  informed  that  whenever  it  receives  any  complaint  of  ragging  in  a school affiliated to it, it takes action as per the Affiliation Bye-laws and existing guidelines which are available at www.cbseaff.nic.in and www.cbse.nic.in, respectively.

The Ministry has constituted a four member Committee of mental health and public health professionals to ascertain the psychological impact of ragging on students, reasons and circumstances under which ragging happens, assess and quantify the impact of ragging and indiscipline on the standard of education and recommend urgent and mandatory mental health measures  to  be  implemented  in,  and  practiced  by  school,  colleges  and  all  educational  and vocational institutions. The important recommendations of the Committee include organizing welcome and orientation programmes at the beginning of every academic session involving the students, installation of proper surveillance mechanism,  having  a  clear  Standard Operating Procedure, offering psychosocial support and counseling to victims and perpetrators,  assessing  and  monitoring  the  social  climate  of  institutions  through  regular surveys,  organizing  programs  for  fostering  civic  engagement  and  responsibility  among students, etc. The important recommendations have been issued to all the Regulatory bodies and Vice-Chancellors of all the Universities for taking urgent action.

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