Colleges to screen anti-ragging films for freshers

In a bid to spread awareness against ragging, University Grants Commission (UGC) recently developed short films to reach out to students. The commission has also circulated a notification across universities and colleges, stating that if an institution does not abide by the UGC regulation or ignores a ragging case, it will be subject to action under UGC act.The short films have been uploaded on UGC’s official website and universities have been asked to screen these films for students during orientation or induction sessions. As colleges across the city gear up for their next semester, Indore Times takes a look at the measures they are taking to curb the menace.

Dr Rachna Gadge, Vice Principal of Renaissance college shares, “The videos that UGC has uploaded online will be screened to students during the orientation program. Our college has an offline admission procedure and students coming for admission are being informed about the ragging guidelines.” Amit Sharma, cultural head of Medi-caps university, shares that besides screening the videos, they would also be encouraging students to perform a street play on anti ragging. “Freshers are encouraged to reach out freely to the staff even if an informal introduction to the seniors makes them feel uneasy,” Amit shares.
Colleges with hostel facilities are treading cautiously, since most cases of ragging are observed in residential institutions. Dr Manpreet Kaur, HOD of Institute of Law shares, “CCTV cameras are installed throughout the campus and in the hostel to keep a special check on untoward incidents of ragging and otherwise. Anti ragging helpline numbers are circulated around the campus. A special committee for girls, called the Kshatra Surakhsha Samiti, is also being formed and female police from local stations will be associated with the committee.”
Laksmikant Tripathi, the Dean of student welfare of DAVV informs, “Every year, all the departments of the university form new anti ragging committees that are looked after by a monitoring committee of staff formed by the authorities. Each anti ragging squad has students (seniors and fresher), staff, a police official, a journalist, volunteer from NGO and parents. University departments are supposed to send a letter about their respective anti ragging committee by the end of July.”