Govt takes offence to ragging menace

MUMBAI, Feb 20: The State Government will introduce a Bill to prohibit ragging in educational institutions in the forthcoming Budget sess...

MUMBAI, Feb 20: The State Government will introduce a Bill to prohibit ragging in educational institutions in the forthcoming Budget session of the State Legislature.

“Once the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Bill is passed, ragging will not only be a cognisable offence, but we have also proposed stringent punishment to erring students. Under the proposed legislation, ragging within or outside any educational institution will be an offence,” Health Minister Daulatrao Aher said. Aher said under the proposed legislation, any disorderly conduct, which causes or is likely to cause physical or psychological harm or raising apprehension or fear for shame or embarrassment to a student will be treated as ragging.

Ragging will also include teasing, abusing or playing practical jokes on or causing hurt to students, or asking a student to perform something he will not willingly, in the ordinary course.

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Aher said whoever directly or indirectly commits, participates in, abets or propagates ragging within oroutside an educational institution shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years and shall also be liable to a fine which may extend to Rs 10,000. Aher pointed out that once a student is convicted for the offence, he will be dismissed from the educational institution and not be admitted in any other institution for three years from the date of the dismissal order.

Aher added that whenever a student, parents, guardian, teacher or an educational institution complains of ragging in writing to the head of the institution, he must inquire into the case within seven days. If prima facie, there is substance in the complaint, he will have to suspend the erring student and immediately forward the complaint to the police for further action. “The decision of the head of the educational institution or the person responsible for the management of institution shall be final,” Aher said.

In the event the head of the institution fails or neglects to take action on the complaint, he shallbe deemed to have abetted the offence and also be liable for punishment with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years. He will also be liable for a fine, which may extend to Rs 10,000, Aher said.

The Minister said during the winter session of State Legislature at Nagpur, there was a marathon debate on the death of a student of the Punjabrao Deshmukh Medical College, Amravati. Though there was no specific evidence, the legislators had alleged that the student’s death was caused by ragging.

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“I had assured the agitated members that this government will come out with a legislation to prohibit ragging. Subsequently, we held a series of meetings with concerned officials and deans of medical colleges and drafted the new Bill for the purpose,” he added.