Ragging: HC puts onus on institutes

The Delhi High Court has said the failure by educational institutions to check ragging would be considered as an act of negligence on the institution's part.

The Delhi High Court has said the failure by educational institutions to check ragging would be considered as an act of negligence on the institution's part.

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“It has been held that failure to prevent ragging is to be construed as an act of negligence in maintaining discipline in educational institutions

on the part of the management,” Justice G.S. Sistani said in a recent order.

The court made the remarks while dismissing a plea by two students of Kirori Mal College here against an order debarring them to appear in the BSc final examination for their alleged involvement in a ragging incident.

“Failure on the part of college authorities has been increasing in the incidents of ragging. Senior students have completely lost track of their role to welcome the new admissions and to help them familiarise with the college,” the court said.

It also said that ragging takes

its toll on the students who either commit suicide or leave the educational institutes out of fear.

“There have been incidents where some students have committed suicide and others

have left the educational institutions out of fear and due to indisciplined activities of some of the senior students,” the court said.

It also accepted the arguments of Delhi University counsel saying the incidents of ragging, particularly in the hostels, often turned ugly for many students who come from different states and backgrounds.

“Many students who face ragging at the hands of their seniors do not report the incidents to the college authorities either due to fear or embarrassment and sometimes the college authorities fail to take the desired action,” the court said.