HYDERABAD: As summer vacations cross the mid-way mark, students are mentally preparing themselves for the new academic year to begin. This ranges from checking on the required course material to may be even a wardrobe overhaul. But most pressingly on everyone’s mind is the ‘initiation’ period at the start of the year. While for absolute new comers this could translate into sessions of bullying, for second year college goers and above, it provides an opportunity to interact with their juniors.
What may have started as casual ice-breaking sessions, a ‘welcome courtesy’ extended by seniors to their juniors, it has over the years become an issue of staking one’s superiority and massaging inflated egos. The problem lies in the perpetrators being unable to distinguish where to draw the line, which amidst raging hormones and peer pressure, is a tricky judgement. No longer considered a healthy conversation, ragging has become a very sensitive issue on college grounds, and students gearing up for college in June are acutely aware of it.
When the situation goes out of hand, it can turn into a brutal and horrifying episode; many of such have been reported over the last couple of years across the country. For example, the Aman Kachroo incident in Himachal Pradesh where the student was ragged by four of his seniors, leading to the student’s death.
According to reports, 10-14 cases of ragging take place every week in India.
Colleges and universities in Hyderabad are no exception. Though many anti-ragging squads have been put in place, students about to begin their college life are still weary of being victims to hazing. Their seniors though assure us that things have improved.
A student at Bhaskar medical college says, “Ragging is very casual on campus and the seniors usually ask us to introduce ourselves or sing a song, or at the most, bring them chocolates. But it’s not a serious activity because we have an anti-ragging squad in college at all times.”
Agreeing, Ashwin, a third year student at MVSR college says, “Ragging is nothing intense or wild. I have been ragged but not seriously. A senior threw a really small stone some where and asked me to find it. That is the level of ragging in our college.”
“My friends and I look forward to the new academic year as we get to meet new juniors. We do rag them but only in jest; we ask them to introduce themselves or ask them to sing. We know our limits and we make sure not to hurt their feelings. In fact, we ask the juniors if they are up for some fun and then pull their legs; we don’t really force them into it,” explains Varsha Reddy, a final year student of SVS Medical College.
Not in good taste
While a ban on ragging hasn’t particularly stopped seniors from pushing their juniors around (gently or otherwise) on campus, some have found no man’s land where they aren’t answerable to anyone.
Aishwarya Palacholla, a student at Muffakam Jah College of Engineering and Technology says, “We have an anti-ragging squad in college, so the ragging takes place off campus rather than on campus.”
Agreeing, Abishai Adam, an engineering student in the city says, “In my college, ragging happens outside campus – like on the college bus. Anti-ragging squads in college are active but ignore the bus journeys. Though the ragging scene is mostly casual, it depends on the person and how one takes it.” Pointing out that some come from conservative backgrounds, Abishai says that some don’t even even like the silly things they are made to do. “I was one of them and I felt horrible when my seniors ragged me on the first day of college. I still think that was a really horrible time for me and I am completely against ragging,” he says.
What seems to be a deciding factor is how one takes the jibe and deals with it; the problem spirals from there.
Says C Abishek from Bhaskar Engineering College, “Seniors are interested in ragging because they want to satisfy their ego of being a senior. The ragging starts off with casual interactions but at times it does get very personal. If you ignore it, it could go away. But that isn’t to say that you should ignore everything that’s thrown your way.”
Having anti-ragging cells in place seems to be working only so far, as those wielding the baton themselves are a little lackadaisical.
“Ragging takes place but nothing escalates to intense violence. Junior boys are ragged by senior boys most of the time. There have been incidents where boys are asked to pole dance in the canteen. We have an anti-ragging cell in college but it’s not useful. I myself was ragged by a guy who was a friend of the anti-ragging squad head. Until some one being ragged has a problem and wants the anti ragging cell to get involved, the squad remains indifferent,” explains Sri Gayatri who studies at Sultan-Ul-Uloom Education Society.
Better times ahead
The consensus though points irrefutably to the decrease in severe cases of hazing. Anti-ragging squads and committees surveying campus activity have helped bring down the numbers while the University Grants Commission setting up anti-ragging helplines 24 hours a day has made a difference. The UGC’s mandate for educational institutes to form committees that will take action against reports of bullying also worked in that favour. Added to that, the Supreme Court declaring ragging as a punishable crime has made the consequences more dire for perpetrators.
Some colleges have taken a rather firm stand against it, even detaining their students if found guilty of misconduct.
“If you are caught ragging or if there is a complaint about a person ragging others, then he will be detained from college,” informs Ashwin of MVSR Engineering College’s anti-ragging measures.
Abishek adds, “We have an anti-ragging cell at Bhaskar College which suspends students if caught.”
“At Narayanamma college, the anti-ragging squad is selected by the students themselves. The punishment on being caught is a warning followed by suspension from college. Police patrolling is also occasionally taken up to keep a check on the same,” shares Sushma Reddy who passed out from G Narayanamma Institute of Science and Technology.
At the end of the day, students feels the concept of tomfoolery is alright as long as basic courtesy and consideration is maintained. The limits vary from person to person and keeping that in mind is important.
Says Sushma, “Ragging is a simple way that allows seniors and juniors to interact with each other. I was ragged on my first day – my seniors asked me to write a letter of proposal to someone. It’s some random thing that they make us do and we take it well. In fact, I look back now, and miss those times.”
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