Ragging in Indian colleges and universities has undergone a silent transformation. It no longer exists solely in the brutal senior-junior fight paradigm; rather, it now takes place on Instagram confession pages, WhatsApp groups, and even on chat apps behind VPN shields.
The contemporary form of ragging is far from physical domination; it is mental disruption and social exclusion, systematic bullying, trolling, and character assassination.
Moreover, the so-called ‘attacker’ is almost always a junior, and the assault is not physical. This change illustrates the relentless phenomenon’s cyclic nature, making it more frustrating to identify, categorize or, in some cases, even acknowledge.
This form of ragging is obviously ambiguous; however, it self-perpetuates and sits within a borderless power structure that defies definition. It thrives on vague humor, inescapability, and lack of traceability.
These conditions were traditionally confined to dormitories and dining halls, but now, these virtual spaces, and social media along with direct messages, serve as their contemporary equivalents. There is no denying that this hurdle is multifaceted and, in fact, more intricate and harder to define.
Mental health and the hidden costs
Aspects of the problem regarding students’ issues has been framed mostly on the effects of social media and hyper-connectivity. For students, social presence involves the acquiring and then counting of likes, shares, and other visibility metrics. Hostility, backlash, social silence, or retreat into silence is far too frequently and wrongly caricatured as some form of assault on the self.
Self-imposed isolation, compounded by emotional wounds that are internalised, results in withdrawal from social contexts. There is such great difficulty in reporting such cases witnessing shame and the juxtaposition of silence and emotional expression.
Ragging is no longer episodic in nature; it has transformed into a more unrelenting emotional phenomenon rooted in psychological dynamics as opposed to actions. Social withdrawal and absenteeism in tandem with emotional suffering are the new norm. There is a change of language that deeply signals distress and urgently needs active intervention.
Why systems are failing to hold up ragging
Combat systems still put in place to prevent ragging seem to use out of date methods. Instead, Gen Z appears to function within a singular set of rules that is based on memes, snippets, and slang. Overall, warning posters, mandatory lectures, and anti ragging campaign messages seem obsolete.
Structures need to shift from top-down governance to invitation models where self-organisation of peers takes the lead. Self-regulation must be fostered to enable students to curb negative behavior in their social circles. There is a need to utilize interactive narrative formats to engage them.
Creativity, digital savvy, and peer impact, hallmarks of the current generation must be exploited to address modern forms of ragging.
Peer vs peer: The new axis of conflict
An important shift in ragging is the disappearance of the traditional senior-junior hierarchy. Currently, students seem to feel greater psychological pressure from their batch, section, or community. Social bullying manifests as casual jabs, passive-aggressive behaviour, and social ostracism. Women bully women: there are groups that exclude non-conformists, and romantic relationships turn manipulative.
Influencers engage in social media bullying without truly understanding the impact. Online personas regularly broadcast hyper-assertive gatekeeping, shaming of aesthetics, as well as disparagement. Students soak up these behaviors unconsciously, bringing with them a culture rooted in unique internet subculture.
Faculty and parents: Closing the gap
The age divide between students and their caregivers, teachers, or mentors, is, arguably, one of the primary contributors to digital harassment in contemporary society. Educators grapple with the age gap as a lack of feeling, or language, emotions, while children’s words orbit and dance in the rhythms of a digital universe. Equally, caregivers may conflate emotional withdrawal with boredom, teenage rebellion, or a muted sorrowful sulk.
We cannot ignore these issues. Faculty must respond to cyberbullying not just with understanding, but action; responding appropriately from the students’ viewpoint, and age-appropriately.
Schools could greatly benefit from schemes of reverse mentorship in which students brief their teachers about internet trends and risks, along with the emotional x-ray of their peers’ zeitgeist.
The latter could promote more understanding of homes with guided education about Gen Z's behaviour and the psychological weight of their existence in a digital world.
Reclaiming campuses through culture, not just compliance
To counter this growing threat, higher education needs to prioritize reflective action instead of responsive action. Institutions need to stop treating ragging as only a form of physical violence. In the same way, responding to cyberbullying needs to be addressed on appropriate emotional and technological levels.
Faculty and members of Anti-Ragging Committees need to undergo training in emotional digital literacy to understand the layered anguish students face today.
Counselling needs to be pre-emptive, accessible, devoid of stigma, and seen as urgent just like health concerns. Awareness campaigns designed by students need to be framed at peer-level, relevant to the target audience and colloquially accessible.
Lastly, emotionally attuned, engaged active partners must be sensitized to the hyper-connected reality of student life as parents.
Updating handbooks or revising codes of conduct offer no protective measures for students. We need to cultivate a centralized campus culture rooted in empathy, shared responsibility, and digital maturity. Even as the methods change, our unwavering commitment to eliminating all forms and manifestations of ragging must remain relentless.
(Dr Phani Kumar Pullela is the Dean of Student Affairs - RV University. Views expressed are his own.)