Mumbai: The new academic year beginning next week is the time for freshers to step into colleges and make new friends. The newcomers come with a lot of excitement as they are entering into a new phase in their educational life. However, for many, it is also the time when the menace of ragging raises its ugly head.
Ragging is back in the news after the shocking incident in the city’s BYL Nair Hospital wherein a female junior doctor committed suicide. Dr Payal Tadvi allegedly committed suicide due to the constant harassment and casteist abuses she was subjected to by her seniors.
With this incident one may think that the anti-ragging committees would be receiving hundreds of complaints on a daily basis. This might also get the backing of the over 3,000 cases of ragging which have been reported across Indian institutions from 2013 to 2017, wherein Maharashtra recorded 160 ragging incidents.
This University Grants Commission (UGC) data, however, contradicts this with the one provided by the University of Mumbai. The Department of Student’s Welfare of the varsity claims to have received only four ragging complaints in the last academic year (from June 2018 to April 2019). The data was provided by Sunil Patil, head of this department.
In a telephonic conversation, Patil said, “We have received only four complaints in the last academic year through the toll-free number provided by the UGC. Of these, only two were genuine cases and were resolved at the college level.”
“In 2017-2018, we received only three such complaints, of which two were found to be fake and one genuine. The genuine one was resolved immediately,” Patil said, adding, “In 2016-2017 we did not receive any complaint pertaining to ragging.”
According to Patil, the 24×7 toll-free number 1800-180-5522 provided by the UGC has been circulated in all the colleges affiliated with the University of Mumbai.
“We receive complaints through this number. All nine lakh students are aware of this number. There are anti-ragging committees in place in each institute and also frequent awareness programmes are held in the colleges,” claimed Patil.
However, his claims seem to be falling on its face as students narrated an altogether different story. “I am not aware of any such toll-free number. There have been several instances of ragging, but we were never informed about the availability of the toll-free number,” said Parth Patel, an undergraduate student.
Regarding the anti-ragging committees too, students have a different view. “We have committees in our college for anti-ragging but I do not think these are functioning properly. It seems the committees have been formed just for the sake of the law but apart from this there is nothing in it,” said Juisha Gandhi, another student.
Students hardly know that ragging is a punishable offence. “I am unaware of the laws which make ragging a punishable offence. Most of us do not know this because, generally if any student directly complains to the teachers they hardly take any action,” said Janki, a journalism student.
“There are no workshops or counselling sessions for ragging in our college, but yes I have attended a private workshop on anti-ragging, which was very helpful. I think such sessions must be conducted in all colleges,” Janki added.
