High Court directs swift action against ragging
Hyphen Web Desk
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The directive was issued by a special bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice C Jayachandran while addressing a petition filed by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority , which highlighted the escalating incidents of ragging across the state.
In response to the court's earlier instruction on March 6, the state government constituted the working group, now chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department. The committee's composition includes principal secretaries and secretaries from various departments, the Law Secretary, senior police officials of at least Inspector General rank, a former vice-chancellor, a registrar, and professors of psychiatry from multiple universities. The court has also directed that a representative from KeLSA be included in the committee's preliminary meetings to ensure a collaborative approach.
The formation of the working group underscores the court's recognition of the inadequacies in the current legal framework addressing ragging. Despite the existence of the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998, and guidelines from the University Grants Commission, incidents of ragging persist, indicating significant gaps in enforcement and accountability. The court has emphasized the necessity of a robust prevention mechanism, stating that when ragging involves brutality and violence, it transcends individual concerns and shocks the conscience of society, thereby necessitating state intervention.
KeLSA had petitioned the court highlighting the deeply entrenched nature of ragging, which continues to inflict severe psychological, emotional, and physical harm on students. The authority advocates for the establishment of state and district-level anti-ragging monitoring committees, comprising representatives from the government, legal service institutions, civil society, educators, and parents. These committees would be tasked with ensuring the implementation of anti-ragging guidelines and monitoring compliance by educational institutions. Additionally, KeLSA recommends creating a confidential feedback mechanism, including a 24/7 toll-free helpline, to allow students, parents, and teachers to report concerns anonymously, thereby enhancing accessibility to support services and enabling victims to seek immediate assistance without fear of retaliation.
In response to the court's earlier instruction on March 6, the state government constituted the working group, now chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department. The committee's composition includes principal secretaries and secretaries from various departments, the Law Secretary, senior police officials of at least Inspector General rank, a former vice-chancellor, a registrar, and professors of psychiatry from multiple universities. The court has also directed that a representative from KeLSA be included in the committee's preliminary meetings to ensure a collaborative approach.
The formation of the working group underscores the court's recognition of the inadequacies in the current legal framework addressing ragging. Despite the existence of the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998, and guidelines from the University Grants Commission, incidents of ragging persist, indicating significant gaps in enforcement and accountability. The court has emphasized the necessity of a robust prevention mechanism, stating that when ragging involves brutality and violence, it transcends individual concerns and shocks the conscience of society, thereby necessitating state intervention.
KeLSA had petitioned the court highlighting the deeply entrenched nature of ragging, which continues to inflict severe psychological, emotional, and physical harm on students. The authority advocates for the establishment of state and district-level anti-ragging monitoring committees, comprising representatives from the government, legal service institutions, civil society, educators, and parents. These committees would be tasked with ensuring the implementation of anti-ragging guidelines and monitoring compliance by educational institutions. Additionally, KeLSA recommends creating a confidential feedback mechanism, including a 24/7 toll-free helpline, to allow students, parents, and teachers to report concerns anonymously, thereby enhancing accessibility to support services and enabling victims to seek immediate assistance without fear of retaliation.
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