BJB Junior College

Bhubaneswar, July 30: Admissions over, college campuses are getting ready to receive their fresh batch of students. Besides, authorities are also working to ensure that the campuses remain ragging free.

While classes in junior colleges will begin on Friday, degree classes are scheduled to begin from August 7.

Similarly, classes for engineering and medical are likely to begin on August 11 and September 1, respectively

Principal BJB Autonomous College Md Nawaz Hassan said they had an “anti-ragging cell” in place.

“Although the incidents of ragging are very few in general colleges as compared to technical and medical colleges, we have constituted a cell to deal with such cases. If ever such an incident is reported, we will take it up with utmost seriousness. The culprits will be taken to task immediately,” he said.

The students, during the time of admission are made to sign an undertaking that they will not be involved in any incidents of ragging. Students in technical colleges, too, are asked to submit an affidavit that they will not be involved in any kind of ragging activity on the campus.

Earlier this month, the UGC asked educational institutions to install CCTV cameras and alarm bells at different places on the campus to check the menace of ragging.

According to the national level anti-ragging organisation Aman Movement, as many as 253 incidents have been reported from Odisha since 2009. There were 36, 41, 54, 44, 71 and seven incidents during 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively

Cameras can be very effective in giving an authentic proof of ragging. Besides, it will also instil a sense of fear among the students on being caught, feel faculty members of colleges.

Similarly, alarm bells in secluded places and other locations on the campus can make the students feel more secure. The student can ring the bell at any time and alert those around him or her, said Bipin Mahapatra, a senior faculty in one of the engineering colleges.

KNOW THE RULES

What constitutes ragging?

Any disorderly conduct — whether by words spoken or written or by an act — that has the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness any other student
lIndulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities that causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in a fresher or a junior student

Asking students to do any act or perform something that he/ she will not in the ordinary course and has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of a fresher or a junior student

Punishments as per UGC regulations

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:

Cancellation of admission

Suspension from attending classes

Withholding/ withdrawing scholarship/ fellowship and other benefits

Debarring from taking any test/ examination or other evaluation process

Withholding results

Debarring from representing the institution in any regional, national or international meet, tournament, youth festival, etc

Suspension/ expulsion from the hostel

Rustication from institution for period ranging from 1 to 4 semesters
Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution

Fine up to Rs 2,50,000

Collective punishment: When persons committing or abetting the crime of ragging
are not identified, the institution shall resort to collective punishment as a deterrent to ensure community pressure on potential raggers

Recent incidents

A fourth-semester student of MKCG Medical College lodged a complaint with Baidyanathpur police on Thursday alleging ragging by his seniors on April 25

Allegations of ragging at the Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, Burla, came to the fore when some second-year students left the hostels after they were subjected to ragging several times last week