Ragging on despite ban

VADODARA, July 21: Despite a ban on ragging on the campus, a few students of the M S University's Faculty of Science managed to bend the ...

VADODARA, July 21: Despite a ban on ragging on the campus, a few students of the M S University8217;s Faculty of Science managed to bend the rules and harass their juniors for the second consecutive day.

Once again, seniors picked up freshers before they could attend their classes today morning and asked them to mimic a particular hero or heroine. On Monday a group of six students walked into a Botany department class, called out freshers and asked them to sing or do ramp walking all in the presence of a teacher.

8220;The students were not union leaders but senior students of the faculty, hence the teacher thought that the students who were being called out of their classes were known to the former,8221; explained faculty Vice-Dean S R Pandya.

He clarified that before the teacher could figure out what was happening and take any action, the students had called two or three people out of the class. 8220;These students have been identified and they have also been warned that if they are caught troubling their juniors a police complaint will be lodged against them,8221; said Pandya.

He added that the faculty officials had also displayed notices on all departmental notice boards saying ragging was banned on the campus and the stern action which would be taken against students caught breaking rules.

8220;Such notices are only a part of the administrative work, the seniors would no longer trouble us in front of the department, they could change their place and catch us in places like the canteen or library,8221; said Pragnya Doshi, a first year student. She added that in such cases no action could be taken on the seniors.

8220;After this notice the seniors would definitely not make it obvious but I do not think they would stop right away,8221; said Dimant Yagnik, another fresher. He added that even the juniors could complain to the teachers if they were noticed doing such things in the campus.

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8220;Though the incidents which have taken place in the past two days have not been serious, it can be very humiliating if the students are asked to do the same in the campus and in front of everybody,8221; said Hemant Pandya. He added that the seniors chose to bully the seniors in front of lots of people.

When asked how the ban would be implemented, Pandya said that it was an undesirable act and if it was brought to the authorities8217; attention, the culprits would be handed over to the police.