Universities should be more proactive to keep ragging out of campuses
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More efforts taken to end ragging - University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof Sampath Amaratunga received the report on ragging and preventive measures. Justice Dr Saleem Marsoof PC is the Chairman of the committee of academic and legal experts who released the report on August 31.
From strengthening security and discipline to establishing a permanent coordination between universities and police, a recent report by a committee of legal and academic experts released on August 31, has provided some measures to curtail ragging in state universities and other higher education institutions.
The committee consisted of Justice Dr. Saleem Marsoof PC as the Chairman, Senior Professor Janitha A. Liyanage as the Secretary and Ven. Professor Magammana Paññananda Thero, Rev. Benet Shantha Fernando, Senior Professor Narada Warnasuriya, Dr. Chandra Embuldeniya and Prasantha Lal De Alwis, as the other committee members.
The Education Times learned that over 50 students, who were victims of ragging and ragging related violence in and after the academic year 2014/2015, were interviewed by the committee to obtain information to prepare regulatory measures and ensure that affected students do not suffer the same fate when re-admitted to an academic institution.
“Over 88 ragging-victim students have submitted applications. Out of these applications about 56 were submitted along with affidavits as requested by the UGC, to make sure the claims are valid. The other students will be interviewed in the next round,” a senior University Grants Commission (UGC) official said.
“The primary responsibility for curbing ragging in universities and other higher education institutes under the UGC ‘s purview rest exclusively with these universities and institutions. These institutions themselves should develop policies and procedures to eliminate ragging and ensure due compliance,” the committee said in its report.
The report also instructed relevant institutions to review the management and regulation of hostels and canteens, which were known to be hotbeds of ragging.
“Security and discipline should be strengthened in all state universities and other higher educational institutions, and the heads of these institutions should create incentives for due compliance and disincentives for failure to comply,” the committee proposed.
It also highlighted the importance of having a greater coordination between law enforcement and academic institutions on a permanent basis.
“For discouraging ragging it may be necessary to be proactive rather than reactive, and academic institutions should put in place programmes that enhance awareness of human values and potentials, human rights, personality development and vocational guidance which can help in redressing the underlying causes of ragging,” the committee said.
While highlighting the importance of creating wide public awareness of the disruptive consequences of ragging, the committee suggested for the UGC, state universities and other institutions to take steps to develop such awareness and set anti-ragging measures in place.
While strengthening counselling and other guidance systems, periodic training programmes for all university and institutional staff must be conducted regularly, the committee recommended.
The committee said the primary factors that inhibited the implementation of anti-ragging measures contained in the Prohibition of Ragging Act of 1998 was the existence of a long standing and deep rooted ‘ragging culture’ in the campuses.
(Nadia Fazlulhaq)