BHUBANESWAR: Despite the state government’s reminders to higher educational institutions to put anti-ragging measures in place on campuses, Odisha continues to be among the top five states that register the highest number of ragging cases in India.
The latest was the Puri case where a first-year MBBS student’s moustache and beard were forcibly shaved by three senior students at Shri Jagannath Medical College and Hospital. A case has been registered against the three students. As per the anti-ragging helpline (1800-180-5522), from April 1, 2022, to date, 68 complaints of ragging have been filed in various colleges of Odisha of which, three were of a serious nature. In the three cases, the victims had allegedly died by suicide. They were students of BJB Autonomous College, Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital at Balangir and Government Polytechnic at Jajpur.
Of the other 65 cases, a majority (22) were from technical colleges under the Biju Patnaik University of Technology. Besides, 13 cases have been reported from MKCG Medical College and Hospital alone. These complaints were registered across all boards including the University Grants Commission (UGC), AICTE, MHRD, ICAR and MCI.
Odisha comes fourth in the list after Uttar Pradesh (195), West Bengal (160) and Maharastra (79) while Tamil Nadu with 53 complaints is in the fifth spot. In the last five years, the state has reported 473 complaints of ragging.
Students said if anti-ragging committees in educational institutions go beyond just collecting anti-ragging affidavits from students and their parents during admission, the menace of ragging can be brought down. “Despite suspension and police cases against students involved in ragging, if the problem exists on campus, then there is a problem with the implementation of anti-ragging laws,” said Sritam Moharana, an OUAT student.
Last year, prior to the beginning of the academic year, the Higher Education department had asked anti-ragging squads in all institutions to remain mobile and alert at all times. The squads were to discreetly conduct a random survey among new students every fortnight in the first three months of the academic year to verify whether the institution was free of ragging or not. Telephone numbers of squad members should be intimated to all students. Surprise visits to hostels and other places outside the campus where ragging may take place were mandated on the teams.
“The squads have been asked to implement these guidelines this year too. And every established case of ragging or abetment of ragging will be dealt with iron hand,” said a higher official of the department.