Daijiworld Media Network - Kochi
Kochi, Mar 5: Expressing concern over the effectiveness of existing anti-ragging laws, the Kerala High Court on Wednesday emphasized the need for framing specific rules under the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998, to better address the issue.
The court highlighted that while the University Grants Commission (UGC) has established detailed guidelines to curb ragging in colleges, the state government should consider revising its legal framework to strengthen enforcement. It directed that a notice be issued to the UGC and scheduled the next hearing for March 19.
This development follows the court’s announcement on Tuesday that a special bench will be constituted to exclusively handle ragging-related cases in Kerala. A division bench led by Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar made this decision while reviewing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) to tackle the growing menace of ragging in educational institutions.
The court suggested that the state government form a multidisciplinary working group to study the issue and seek public recommendations for drafting new regulations. It also advised examining whether amendments to the existing legislation were necessary.
Addressing the gravity of the issue, the court stated that ragging ceases to be a personal or institutional matter once it involves violence, becoming a societal concern that demands state intervention.
"Once ragging escalates into brutality and violence, it is no longer just an issue between students or institutions. It shakes the conscience of society, making it imperative for the state to implement a robust prevention mechanism," the court observed.
The urgency for stricter laws follows two major ragging incidents in Kerala. On February 18, 2024, Sidharthan, a second-year student at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Pookode, Wayanad, was found dead in his hostel after being tortured by his seniors and batchmates. Nineteen students have been charged with multiple offences, including abetment to suicide and ragging.
In another case, five senior students of a government-run nursing college in Kottayam were arrested and jailed last month for brutally ragging a junior student. Several other instances of ragging have also surfaced, reinforcing the need for stricter regulations and stronger enforcement mechanisms.