SAMBALPUR: The authorities of Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla have reduced the punishment of 12 students involved in a ragging incident, by six months.
The final-year BTech students had reportedly ragged a junior in September last year. Ten students were rusticated from the university for one year (2 semesters) for assaulting the victim, a third-year student.
Similarly, two students were rusticated for two years for initiating the dispute and instigating their final year classmates to assault the victim.
A notice issued by VSSUT said in response to the representation made by parents of 10 students, the Vice-Chancellor has approved to reduce the punishment from one year to six months (1 semester). The ragging accused include eight final year students of Civil engineering besides one each from Production and Electronics/Telecom departments.
These students have been permitted to register for the upcoming even semester (8th) examination from the current academic session. However, they will be eligible to register for the odd semester of 2021-22, their rustication period, only during registration for the 7th semester in 2022-23. Their results for the even semester of 2021-22 will be withheld till the completion of their odd semester the next year.
The notice further stated that the punishment of two students, one from Civil and the other from Production departments, who were found accountable for their role in initiating the dispute, has been reduced from two years to one year.
A VSSUT official said though the punishment has been reduced, the students concerned will not be allowed to stay in the hostels and visit the premises for any reason. This apart, the students along with their parents will also have to submit an undertaking declaring that they shall not indulge in any unlawful activities on the campus. Any violation of the undertaking will lead to expulsion of the student from the university.