ANTI-RAGGING COMMITTEE

Preamble

In view of the directions of the Honourable Supreme Court in the matter of "University of Kerala v/s. Council, Principals, Colleges and others” in SLP no. 24295 of 2006 dated 16.05.2007 and that dated 8.05.2009 in Civil Appeal number 887 of 2009, and in consideration of the determination of the Central Government and the University Grants Commission to prohibit, prevent and eliminate the scourge of ragging and to provide for the healthy development of all students, the University Grants Commission, in consultation with the Councils, brings forth Regulation called the “UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009".

As per these regulations Annasaheb Dange College of B Pharmacy, Ashta has constituted a committee known as the 'Anti-Ragging Committee' to be nominated and headed by the Head of the Institution.

Objectives

To prohibit any conduct by any student or students whether by words spoken or written or by an act which has the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness a fresher or any other student, or indulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities by any student or students which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in any fresher or any other student or asking any student to do any act which such student will not in the ordinary course do and which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame, or torment or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of such fresher or any other student, with or without an intent to derive a sadistic pleasure or showing off power, authority or superiority by a student over any fresher or any other student; and thereby, to eliminate ragging in Colleges by prohibiting it under these Regulations, preventing its occurrence and punishing those who indulge in ragging as provided for in these Regulations and the appropriate law in force.

Norms for Constitution of Committee

• Principal of College
• Representatives of faculty members.
• Representatives of non-teaching staff.
• Representatives of students belonging to the fresher’s category.
• Representatives of students belonging to the senior category.
• Representatives of parents
• Representatives of civil and police administration.
• Representatives of local media.
• Representative of Non-Government Organizations involved in youth activities.

Role & responsibilities of the committee

• The Chairman of the Committee shall have the power to call a meeting of the Antiragging Committee. The minutes of meeting shall be written by teaching staff nominated by principal of college.
• The Antiragging committee shall monitor and oversee the performance of the Anti-Ragging Squad in prevention of ragging in the college.
• During the first three months of an academic year, the Head of college shall submit a weekly report on the status of compliance with Anti-Ragging measures under UGC Regulations, and a monthly report on such status thereafter, to the Vice-Chancellor of the University.
• The Anti-Ragging Committee of the college shall take an appropriate decision, with regard to punishment or otherwise, depending on the facts of each incident of ragging and nature and gravity of the incident of ragging.
• Notwithstanding anything contained in these Regulations with regard to obligations and responsibilities pertaining to the authorities or members of bodies prescribed above, it shall be the general collective responsibility of all levels and sections of authorities or functionaries including members of the faculty and employees of the college, whether regular or temporary, and employees of service providers providing service within the college, to prevent or to act promptly against the occurrence of ragging or any incident of ragging which comes to their notice.

ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023

Mechanism

ANTI-RAGGING SQUAD

Constitution of Antiragging Squad

• Principal of College
• Representatives of faculty members
• Representatives of non-teaching staff.

Role and Responsibilities of Antiragging Squad

• It shall be the duty of the Anti-Ragging Squad to be called upon to make surprise raids on hostels, and other places vulnerable to incidents of, and having the potential of, ragging and shall be empowered to inspect such places.
• It shall also be the duty of the Anti-Ragging Squad to conduct an on-the-spot enquiry into any incident of ragging referred to it by the Head of the college or any member of the faculty or any member of the staff or any student or any parent or guardian or any employee of a service provider or by any other person, as the case may be.
• Squad shall submit the enquiry report along with recommendations to the Anti-Ragging Committee for action under clause (a) of UGC Regulation 9.1. Provided that the Anti-Ragging Squad shall conduct such enquiry observing a fair and transparent procedure and the principles of natural justice and after giving adequate opportunity to the student or students accused of ragging and other witnesses to place before it the facts, documents and views concerning the incident of ragging, and considering such other relevant information as may be required.
• Squad head shall form duty chart & carryout regular checks for any Ragging activity in their areas.
• Squad shall ensure anti ragging instructions are displayed at prominent places in their areas of control.
• The squad shall collect the updated list of students including their latest address and phone no’s.
• Any member of the squad not performing his/her duty properly will also be communicated to the Antiragging committee.

ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-23

Constitution of Mentoring Cell

• Principal of the college.
• Representatives of faculty members.
• Students volunteering to be Mentors for fresher’s at the rate of one Mentor for six freshers.
• One Mentor of a higher level for six Mentors of the lower.

Role & responsibilities of mentoring cell

• Mentoring cell shall act as Mentors for Freshers in the succeeding academic year.
• It will interact with the first year students on daily basis to ascertain, problems/difficulties faced by the students, if any, and extend necessary help and guidance.
• The members will counsel individually the first year students regularly regarding likely problems of adjustment in a new situation in life and studies, the environment, traditions, do’s and don'ts, work pressure, etc; allay misconceptions and fears about ragging, and invigorate them to fearless.
• It will provide information regarding Help-Lines, contact number of relevant officials.
• It will counsel ragging prone students for change of attitude and behaviour and encourage them to lead a normal student life.

Mechanism

On receipt of the recommendation of the Anti-Ragging Squad or on receipt of any information concerning any reported incident of ragging, the Head of college shall immediately determine if a case under the penal laws is made out and if so, either on his own or through a member of the Anti-Ragging Committee authorised by him in this behalf, proceed to file a First Information Report (FIR), within twenty four hours of receipt of such information or recommendation, with the police and local authorities, under the appropriate penal provisions relating to one or more of the following, namely;

• Abetment to ragging;
• Criminal conspiracy to rag;
• Unlawful assembly and rioting while ragging;
• Wrongful restraint;
• Public nuisance created during ragging;
• Wrongful confinement;
• Violation of decency and morals through ragging;
• Use of criminal force;
• Injury to body, causing hurt or grievous hurt;
• Extortion;
• Assault as well as sexual offences or unnatural offences;
• Criminal trespass;
• Offences against property;
• Criminal intimidation;
• Attempts to commit any or all of the above mentioned offences against the victim(s);
• Threat to commit any or all of the above mentioned offences against the victim(s);
• Physical or psychological humiliation;
• All other offences following from the definition of "Ragging".

Depending upon the nature and gravity of the offence as established the possible punishments for those found guilty of ragging at the college level shall be any one or any combination of the following:-

• Cancellation of admission.
• Suspension from attending classes
• Withholding/withdrawing scholarship/fellowship and other benefits.
• Debarring from appearing in any test/examination or other evaluation process.
• Withholding results.
• Suspension/expulsion from the hostel.
• Debarring from representing the college in any regional, national or international meet, tournament, youth festival, etc.
• Rustication from the college for period ranging from 1 to 4 semesters.
• Expulsion from the college and consequent debarring from admission to any other college.
• Collective punishment: when the persons committing or abetting the crime of ragging are not identified, the college shall resort to collective punishment as a deterrent to ensure community pressure on the potential raggers.

Provided that the Head of the college shall forthwith report the occurrence of the incident of ragging to the District Level Anti-Ragging Committee and the Nodal officer of the affiliating University.

Provided further that the college shall also continue with its own enquiry initiated under clause 9 of UGC Regulations and other measures without waiting for action on the part of the police/local authorities and such remedial action shall be initiated and completed immediately and in no case later than a period of seven days of the reported occurrence of the incident of ragging.