Bhubaneswar, April 27: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked educational institutions to install CCTV cameras and alarm bells at various places on the campus to check incidents of ragging.
A notice to this effect has been put up on the UGC website.
The notice assumes significance in the wake of the recent case of ragging of a fourth-semester student of MKCG medical college in Berhampur.
The student lodged a complaint with Baidyanathpur police on Thursday alleging ragging by his seniors. According to Abhisekh, the complainant, his seniors stripped him, made him kneel down and beat him up.
He alleged that had also been subjected to severe ragging by his seniors in his first year.
Most of his batch mates were also being physically tortured over the past two years. But they were afraid of reporting the matter to the authorities because the seniors threatened them with dire consequences, Abhisekh said.
A national-level anti-ragging organisation says 253 ragging incidents have been reported from Odisha since 2009.
“It is brought to the notice of the public that ragging is a criminal offence and the UGC has framed regulations in order to prohibit, prevent and eliminate ragging,” the notice says.
Besides installation of CCTV cameras at strategic points and alarm bells, other measures to check ragging include regular interaction and counselling, identification of trouble-makers, prominence to anti-ragging in the institution’s prospectus and surprise inspection of hostels.
Students and parents should be made aware of the anti-ragging helpline, anti-ragging website and anti-ragging monitoring agency, the notice added.
Cameras can be very effective in providing authentic proof for ragging.
Besides, it will also instil a sense of fear among the trouble-makers.
Similarly, alarm bells in secluded places and other locations on campus can make the students feel more secure.
A student can ring the bell at any time and alert those around him, said Bipin Mahapatra, a senior faculty in an engineering college.
