1st day: DU says no to ragging

The atmosphere at most DU colleges remained sombre on the first day of the new academic session. Most first-year students were found in their classrooms, paying rapt attention to the professor.

The atmosphere at most DU colleges remained sombre on the first day of the new academic session. Most first-year students were found in their classrooms, paying rapt attention to the professor.

HT Image

The difference this year is all because of the intensive anti-ragging drive that the university has undertaken to keep any form of mischief at bay.

“The picture our seniors had painted of college seems very different from what we have been witnessing since morning. No senior has asked us to dance to songs or provide witty introductions,” said Manjeet Gill, a student of Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College.

While the intensive drive to curb ragging has been applauded by students, many feel that harmless ragging must be made an exception to the ban.

“Students across the university were made to sign an undertaking that stated ragging as a criminal offence. When something is in writing, it automatically acts as a prohibitive measure. However, some harmless fun on the first day of college is an amiable way of breaking the ice with the new students,” said Chandni Puri, a final-year student.

The anti-ragging march staged by students coupled with banners and flexes in most

colleges have left authorities satisfied with the arrangements they made to check the situation.

“There may be several prejudices that students may have in their minds. What students define as ‘harmless ragging’ may not be harmless to the person being subjected to it. There is, therefore, a need to sensitise people and such a drive will spread greater awareness amongst students, which will automatically keep them away from ragging,” said HP Singh, Proctor, Delhi University.