Students at Handique Girls’ College on Monday. Picture by Biju Boro

July 19: Never mind that it wasn’t meant to be like what it is. The very mention of ragging is enough to send shivers down a fresher’s spine.

Barring Cotton College, most city colleges, including Handique Girls College, have begun their sessions.

As they step gingerly into their classrooms, most students dread what is coming — ragging.

What started out as healthy interaction between seniors and juniors, turned into bullying and finally ended up as means of torture by perverted minds.

Though ragging is not banned in Gauhati University, other universities in the country, such as Delhi University, have stringent rules against the act.

Last year, an IIT, Delhi student made headlines after he was traumatised during his first days in the institute.

Some seniors say ragging is PEP or personality enhancement programme through seemingly harmless fun.

“We have not ragged anyone till now mainly because ragging is banned in our college,” says Anwesha Bordoloi, an HS second year student of Handique College.

“But for most of us, ragging is just an informal way of getting to know our juniors,” she says.

“I don’t know why but the freshers are just paranoid of ragging. We are not demons, we just want to know our juniors better and ragging is the best way to do it,” says Raj Barua of B. Borooah College.

Amazingly, freshers too feel that they are missing out on ragging, which they say is synonymous with college life.

“No one has ragged us till now, though we were expecting some. Well, ragging is not that bad. It helps break the ice in an informal manner, provided it does not cross the limit,” says Debasmita Bannerjee, an HS first year student of Handique College.

However, the scene is quite different in Cotton College. Ragging is pretty much a norm there, with hostel students having to bear the brunt.

“I was ragged in a restaurant near the college where my seniors asked me to introduce myself in a sing-song manner loudly,” recalls Achintyamugdha Sharma, an HS first year student of Cotton College.

His friend had to enact the role of a super-hero in front of the entire college community.

“I was asked to tie my apron which I use for my chemistry practicals to my back like a cloak. Then the seniors asked me to pretend to be Superman and run till the gate,” says Hrishikesh Deka, also from Cotton.

More surprises are in store. Even teachers feel that ragging should be a part of college life.

“I strongly feel that people should see ragging a bit more positively. It is nothing but healthy interaction between seniors and juniors and this should not be banned,” says Mitali Goswami, professor of Handique Girls College.