Is Ragging an Essential Part of College Life?

Ragging is the biggest fear of college life in a student. When freshers enter the college, they make themselves prepared for the different kinds of tasks and absurd activities that their seniors would make them do. Parents also recommend their children to do as they are directed by their seniors and avoid any kind of argument with them as that may lead to even harsher consequences. But is this the way it is meant to be? Are things heading in the right direction? If you would ask me, my answer would be in the negative. Bulling freshers in a way that has a negative impact on their persona and mental health is not what “Ragging” is meant for. College ragging has to have that fun element in it. It should be interactive and involving and in a way should bridge the gap between the seniors and juniors of an institution.

But such is not the case! Recently, in IIT Kanpur, 22 students of second year have been suspended from college. Freshers had filed complaints against them saying that they were made to do formidable tasks, were abused and bullied. Some of the freshers had even complained that they were forced to strip by their seniors which had left them embarrassed and humiliated. Some accusations of sexual harassment were also found to be true. Such cases of ragging in colleges have been seen since many years but for the first time it is being noticed that strict actions are being against those accused.

This is just a small step towards the unjust act of ragging. It is high time that we take strict actions against those committing such crime. Ragging does both physical and mental torture to students. Forcing students to do bizarre tasks that involve their humiliation is not an activity that should be supported by the universities and colleges. Regular torture affects the confidence of the students and imposes a negative effect on them for a life time. In many cases, the students are not able to overcome the mental torture and it stays with them forever. This even leads to isolation and depression for many students.

A survey conducted in 2016 showed that 164 students committed suicide because of intense ragging activities in colleges in India and this rate has been considerably increasing with time. To control this number, anti-ragging affidavit has been passed in colleges that prohibit any such kind of activity to be carried out in the college premises. An anti-ragging helpline number has also been allotted to colleges where any student who is a victim of ragging can call for help.

Freshers are meant to be welcomed in a new college or university. Seniors should lend a helping hand to them and not play serious pranks that could threaten their life. Every coin has two faces. And so has “Ragging”. If conducted in a playful manner, ragging can be fun and create a friendly atmosphere in an organization but the reverse can have a severe effect on the life of students. 

Let us all stand together against brutal ragging so that the lives of blameless students are saved from exploitation

Written By: Anamika Jakhmola