Bullying and Ragging in Schools or Colleges

Bullying and Ragging in Schools or Colleges:

In USA,the October month is regarded as "Bullying Prevention Awareness month",every student is a victim of bullying or ragging in schools or colleges or universities.The various studies have indicated that children who indulge in bulling,he or she more likely to have a criminal  personality traits by the age of 24.The Children,who indulge bullying may continue to be bullies as an adults, and are more prone to becoming child and spouse abusers.

The bullies may be become a victim of substance/Alcohol  abuse and one of the possible reasons of excessive bullying or ragging is being a product of negligent parenting[working parents with irresponsible attitude ]or due to matrimonial discords or due to single parenting or personality disorders,or psychological  disorders like depression or anger or jealousy of performance of fellow students,but bullying and ragging[welcome gesture to fresher]to a extent is fun,if it is in form of mild teasing,if it exceeds limits,it is regarded as perverted and deviant behavior.It ought to be regarded as criminal act,when ragging or bullying takes criminal dimensions.



The incidence of bullying[adult or child]are reported in schools,play grounds,social&recreation clubs,Shopping malls, work places,hospitals,universities,colleges,public transport and other public places. 

Bullying :

Bullying is an intentional acts to harm others physically, emotionally,verbally or mentally.The bullying may takes place in school or neighborhood,there are many cases of cyber bullying are also reported or cyber stalking also perpetuated by unknown person in social networking websites ,the bullying also involves threats,intimidation,coercion.The sexual abuse and racial abuse in schools or colleges is also one of the form of bullying.
The act of bullying or ragging  is perpetuated by one  individual or one or  more individuals forming in group to  bully one individuals or another group of individuals[peer].

• The bullying should be taken seriously by school management. 

• Every school should have child counselor or psychiatrist to tackle such behavioral problems. 

• The parents should be informed about child's misbehavior.

• The parents should be given counselling and they should be suggested to spend more time with children to rectify the behaviors.

• Prevention is better than cure ,the good character of child can be molded at an early age to avoid further embarrassing problem of adult life [criminal acts or spouse abuse or substance abuse or suicides]. 

     

• The counselling of victims should also be undertaken to avoid psychological or behavioral problems or suicides as result of guilt or shame or helplessness.

Ragging in Colleges /Universities:

One of the worrying factor in the present educational system in India and other countries is Ragging or teenage bullying,which is rampant in colleges or universities, despite laws enacted to curb such deviant behavior of students.

The fresher faces ragging in all educational institutes.There are several instances of ragging reported in prestigious engineering and medical institutes,several suicide cases were also reported.  

UGC Regulation On Curbing The Menace Of Ragging In Higher Educational Institutions, 2009 

This regulation was framed by University Grants Commission ,India, after directions given by the Hon'ble Supreme court in University of Kerala v/s. Council, Principals, Colleges and others case,(2006) 8 SCC 304. 

This regulation defined what constitute ragging and what are remedial measures are to be taken by management of institute to prevent the scourge of ragging ,one of important provision is formation of the committees to  look into complaints of ragging and referring for necessary action like rustication [TC] from the institute and instituting appropriate legal action like filing criminal case under appropriate provisions of the law. 

 Circular of UGC-No. F. 1-127/2011 (Anti Ragging)

All institutions are required to take necessary steps for its implementation in toto including the monitoring mechanism as per provisions provided in the above regulation and ensure its strict compliance.

The following preventive measures for Anti-Ragging should also be strictly followed:-

1) The Institutions may erect suitable hoardings/bill boards/banners in prominent places within the campus to exhort the students to prevent or not to indulge in ragging and also indicating therein the names of the officials and their telephone numbers to be contacted in case of ragging.
2) All Educational Institutions should form an Anti-Ragging-Committee and squads and dedicated cadre of wardens and professional counselors to ensure that the directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India and Justice Raghavan Committee recommendations are followed without exception.

3) An affidavit must be obtained from every Student, Parent/Guardian separately as per clause (m & n) of Regulation 6.2.
4) The Institution may also undertake other forms of campaign as it may consider appropriate for prevention of ragging.
5) UGC has uploaded a film on anti-ragging on its website. All universities and colleges are requested to download the same and give wide publicity amongst the students, before the start of the academic session. Besides, this may be constantly monitored during the entire period of the academic session.
Any violation of UGC regulations as cited above or if any Institution fails to take adequate steps to prevent ragging or act in accordance with these regulations or fails to punish perpetrators of incidents of ragging suitably, UGC shall call for punitive action against erring institutions.

Students in distress owing to ragging related incidents can access the toll free helpline -1800-180-5522

There is a need to initiate more measures to curb the menace of ragging ,ironically ,the issue of ragging is taken seriously at the time of admission and freshers enter institute ,while ragging continues all round the year and it will continue subsequent year.  

 

 The cyber stalking /bullying: 

This is latest trend in present generation of students, and youngsters ,perpetrators[known or unknown]target gullible students in social networking websites like Face Book or Orkut.The several cases of posting of morphed photos or other mischievous cyber criminal acts to defame and humiliate their targets were reported,especially, when female student spurn the companionship offer or love or marriage proposal of male students ,such attracts the provisions of cyber laws[IT Act 2000 as amended 2008] and normal laws like Indian Penal code.

 

There are cases where college students throwing acid or injuring  innocent college girls ,merely because they spurned their offer of friendship or dating.  

The UGC should initiate action against university or institute ,which are not following regulations in letter and spirit and equally school management should also take steps to ensure there is no bullying in school.

References :

1. www.gcet.ac.in/anti%20ragging/UGC%20notification.doc
2. http://www.ugc.ac.in/notices/public_noitce_ragging110711.pdf 
3. www.indiankanoon.org/doc/1835746/