Cuttack, July 30: Ravenshaw University authorities will launch a sensitisation drive for freshers to deal with ragging at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels from Wednesday.

This is the first time that such a drive has been planned at the varsity. Officials said hostel boarders would also be in focus. All the hostel superintendents and wardens, who are also members of the disciplinary committee at the varsity, have been asked to start the counselling drive in all the hostels.

“The disciplinary committee will start the counselling drive in all hostels of the university from tomorrow. It is important to make the newcomers aware of anti-ragging measures, how to conduct themselves on campus so as to keep untoward incidents at bay,” said vice-chancellor in-charge Pradip Mohapatra.

Though students and their guardians are required to submit anti-ragging affidavits at the time of admissions, it has been found that ragging still persists in most colleges and universities.

In most cases, students did not know whom to complain to in case their seniors or batchmates ragged them.

Mohapatra said that during counselling the students would be informed about the steps that are required to be followed while reporting ragging in any form. Officials said the varsity had an anti-ragging cell and a gender sensitisation committee to deal with such incidents.

Students taking admissions in hostels need to report ragging first to the hostel superintendent and later, based on the report of the hostel superintendent concerned, the disciplinary committee will examine the matter. If the allegations have any truth, the committee will decide the quantum of punishment considering the nature of ragging and the extent of damage caused.

At present, over 2,500 students are staying in 10 hostels, including five for girls — Parija, Devi, Daya, Bhargavi and West Hostels. Boys put up in East, New PG, New Hostel, Dharmabrata hostel (all on the campus) and Jagannath Chhaatra Awas outside the varsity premises.