BHUBANESWAR: There has been little or no respite from ragging in higher educational institutes across the state this year. However, this time, Maharashtra has replaced Odisha in reporting the highest number of ragging complaints.
Over 40 complaints of ragging including a death were registered from different institutions in the state by the anti-ragging helpline (1800-180-5522) of the University Grants Commission this year. Last year, the number was 44 including two deaths.
As per the anti-ragging helpline (1800-180-5522), from April to December 27 this year, the country saw 951 ragging complaints across all the education boards, both technical and general. Of this, Odisha has 42 complaints. While last year, two students of BJB Autonomous College, Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital at Balangir had allegedly died by suicide due to ragging, this year one student of Government Polytechnic at Jajpur allegedly took the extreme step. All three cases are currently under investigation by police, said senior officials of the Higher Education department.
As per the helpline that has captured the ragging complaints since April 2022 till Wednesday (December 27), Odisha now comes fifth in the list of top-5 states that see the highest number of such complaints. It stands fifth after Uttar Pradesh (284), West Bengal (218), Bihar (162), and Maharashtra (112) while Tamil Nadu with 66 complaints is in the sixth spot. Last year, while Bihar was nowhere in the picture, Maharashtra had the third-highest number of cases followed by Odisha. In the last five years, the state has reported 473 complaints of ragging.
“Anti-ragging guidelines were always in place but after the alleged deaths, we have been ensuring that these guidelines are strictly followed by the anti-ragging squads and students, both old and new. Hostels are under surveillance. The complaints from general colleges have come down while technical institutes are the ones that report the majority of such incidents,” said a higher official of the department.
Earlier in September this year, the Orissa High Court had expressed concern over ragging in medical college campuses. This was following filing of a PIL over freshers being traumatised through ragging in government-run MKCG Medical College and Hospital at Berhampur despite MCI declaring ragging as a punishable offence.
Cases in last 2 years
Uttar Pradesh 284
West Bengal 218
Bihar 162
Maharastra 112
Odisha 86
Tamil Nadu 66