News
Universities to get anti-ragging officers with added power
View(s):By Tharushi Weerasinghe
The Higher Education Ministry has decided to appoint an additional officer to each state university vested with fresh powers to penalise students and initiate legal action in a renewed bid to curb ragging.
This specially designated officer, responsible for handling ragging complaints, will be a member of the university’s governing council.
“While wardens and marshals are there on the premises, they do not have the full administrative authority to take action when complaints are made,” said UGC Chairman Senior Prof. Kapila Seneviratne. “They can only report.”
Other complaint mechanisms do exist, but the UGC and Higher Education Ministry wanted a committed, hands-on officer to deal with ragging, he explained. This will be the first time officials with direct disciplinary authority are being appointed for this.
Council members have the general authority to take action and punish students for misdeeds. “We have had council members specialising in various areas but never on the ragging issue, and we are hoping that having an official with a specific empowerment to investigate and punish will expedite the process of accountability,” the Chairman said. New councils are currently being formed for state universities, and the new officer role will be incorporated during this process.
A special UGC team was also deployed to Sabaragamuwa University yesterday to conduct an independent investigation into “whether or not” the suicide of Charith Dilshan, a second-year engineering technology student, was ragging-related and to look into the details of the incident as reported to the police by a friend of the victim.
Any further action by the UGC, including the payment of damages, will depend on the findings of the inquiry board appointed on Thursday. The board will determine the penalties for those found guilty.
Meanwhile, the Higher Education Ministry has summoned the vice chancellors of all state universities to Colombo for a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya to address the widespread issue of ragging and explore long-term solutions.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!