The Ragging Free Campus Abhiyan (RFCA), a forum working for welfare of students, on Friday demanded formation of a State-level task force for prevention of ragging in educational institutions.
RFCA’s demand came in the wake of alleged ragging of a first year student by seniors in Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla on Thursday.
The forum demanded that higher educational institutions must be brought under the Mo Sarkar and 5T initiative of the Government and rights of students be protected with zero tolerance towards ragging. They also demanded recruitment of permanent professional counsellors in higher educational institutions.
As the anti-ragging committees and cells in the colleges largely remain inactive, adequate steps needs to be taken to ensure these bodies work for the welfare of students.
Besides, a State-level anti-ragging helpline with a toll free number and e-mail id should be put in place immediately to prevent students being harassed and abused on campuses, said RFCA convenor Tejeswar Parida.