Ragging Worry: 200% jump in ragging complaints in 2017 compared to 2015, in Indian colleges

The highest number of complaints received in almost a decade, the list saw a healthy number of girls while all of the complainants from Tamil Nadu were girls
Campaigns to stop ragging have been constant and unrelenting | Express
Campaigns to stop ragging have been constant and unrelenting | Express

The number of ragging complaints received thus far in 2017 is twice the number of complaints received in 2015 and at least 60% more than the complaints received in 2016. This is the highest number of complaints received by the National Anti-Ragging Helpine since it's inception in 2009 — indicating that students are not scared of running afoul of their seniors and reporting instances of ragging and abuse.

Data from the National Anti-Ragging Helpline (till Tuesday) reveals that they have received 831 complaints so far in 2017. While it is worrisome that ragging continues to be so rampant despite all the effort taken by the UGC and the AICTE, beside State and Central governments, it is a step in the right direction that more cases are being reported. 

Another surprise is the number of women complainants who have submitted their grievances to the body. The complaints this year skyrocketed, the first time since the Supreme Court ordered immediate implementation of Raghavan Committee to control ragging, which included setting up of anti-ragging committees and squads. Of the total number of complaints, 138 complaints were from girls which included 127 from Uttar Pradesh, 96 from Madhya Pradesh and 86 from West Bengal. 

Tamil Nadu registered 42 complaints as against the 33 complaints last year, and 8 of these complaints are from girls. Reacting to this, Rajendra Kachroo, founder trustee of Aman Movement, which works in partnership with the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the University Grants Commission, to implement the national ragging prevention program says, ragging is on the decrease nation-wide. "It is an indication of confidence. It is a good thing," he added.

This month alone, two complaints have been registered by the students of Coimbatore Medical College Hospital with the national anti-ragging body. In the first complaint, a girl student alleged ragging in the girls' hostel and demanded for hostel day to be stopped, claiming that it was an opportunity to rag them.

Despite a complaint letter being submitted to the dean, the student has said that no action was taken. In the second complaint, a male student had said that even second-year students were ragged by their seniors in the hostel.

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