Ragging is a criminal offence as per the Supreme Court verdict. Ragging is an offence under penal code, which define ragging as: "Causing, inducing, compelling or forcing a student, whether by way of practical joke or otherwise, to do any act which detracts from human dignity or violates his/her person or exposes him/her to ridicule from doing any lawful act. By intimidating, wrongfully restraining, wrongfully confining, or injuring him or by using criminal force on him/her or by holding out to him/her any threat of intimidation, wrongful confinement, injury or the use of criminal force." "Ragging in all its forms is totally banned in this institution including in its departments, constituent units, all its premises (academic, residential, sports, kiosks, cafeteria and the like) whether located within the campus. The institution shall take strict action including but not limited to criminal proceeding and/or cancellation of admission against those found guilty of ragging and/or of abetting ragging and the burden of proof shall hereby lie on the perpetrator of alleged ragging and not on the victim. An offence of Ragging may be charged either on a written complaint by the affected or on independent finding of the Anti-Ragging Squad.
Punishable Ingredients of Ragging: Abetment / instigation to ragging
Criminal conspiracy to rag
Unlawful assembly and rioting while ragging
Public nuisance created during ragging
Violation of decency and morals through ragging
Injury to body, causing hurt / mental trauma or grievous hurt
Wrongful restraint
Wrongful confinement
Use of criminal force
Assault as well as sexual offences or unnatural offences
Extortion
Criminal trespass
Offences against property Criminal intimidation
Attempt to commit any or all of the above mentioned offences against the victim
Physical or psychological humiliation
Any act / abuse by spoken words, e-mails, snail mails, blogs, public insults etc.
Any act that prevents, disrupts or disturbs the regular academic activity of a student
All other offences following from the definition of "Ragging".
Punishments against Ragging:
Depending upon the nature and gravity of the offence as established by the Anti-Ragging Committee of the Institution, the possible punishments for those found guilty of ragging shall be any one or any combination of the following:
Suspension from attending classes and academic privileges
Withholding / withdrawing scholarship / fellowship and other benefits
Debarring from appearing in any test/examination or other evaluation process
Withholding of results
Debarring from representing the institution in any regional, national or international meet, tournament, youth festival etc.
Suspension/ expulsion from the hostel
Cancellation of Admission
Rustication from the institution for a period, ranging from 1 to 3 years
Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution for a specific period .When the persons committing or abetting the crime of ragging are not identified, the institution shall resort to collective punishment as a deterrent to ensure community pressure on the potential raggers.
In addition, in case of every single incident of ragging, a First Information Report (FIR) will be filed with the local police authorities. The possible punishment includes rigorous imprisonment (in compliance with the order of Supreme Court of India)
