HYDERABAD: Despite the growing number of ragging incidents in educational institutes, very few of them are coming to the notice of authorities. While the colleges and universities are frequently witnessing ragging cases in Hyderabad and other districts, the number of complaints filed at the anti-ragging cells seem to be almost negligible. According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), its anti-ragging helpline received only eight complaints from Telangana in 2014 and 2015. However, the UGC’s statistics doesn’t seem to match with the data of universities and colleges that received more than 90 complaints in 2015 alone.
Engineering and its constituent colleges of OU and JNTU Hyderabad usually see more number of ragging incidents in the hostels.
Though UGC data shows only five ragging complaints across Telangana in 2015, city-based Nizam College alone witnessed more than five ragging incidents. The recent cases include harassment against the Everest conqueror Anand and three other students who later approached the college principal. A girl student from the college, has even threatened to commit suicide after being ragged by senior students.
Explaining the reason, a former student welfare dean of OU said, “Most of the ragging cases don’t come to our notice, because new students are scared to file a complaint. Even if they file it, they will be harassed more later.” Creating awareness among students is the only way to stop this culture, he said.
According to UGC’s anti-ragging cell’s data, Telangana registered the least number of ragging cases in the last two years, with just 8, while Andhra Pradesh registered 33 ragging cases.
According to UGC data on ragging related complaints, Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 601 complaints followed by West Bengal which has 412 complaints.