Karnataka Sets up Cells to Keep a Tab on Ragging

Bangalore, Nov 3 (DC): In order to make Karnataka a ragging-free state, the government has formed two committees to ensure that the anti-ragging laws are being implemented. As per the directions of the Union ministry of human resources development, the government has formed a state-level monitoring cell under the chairmanship of the Governor and a district-level committee in every district has also been formed; the chairmen for the district-level committees will be the respective district collectors (DCs).

The committees will monitor ragging-related incidents in educational institutions and will ensure the strict implementation of the anti-ragging guidelines.

As per the HRD ministry’s orders, even privately managed lodges and hostels that are built outside any college campus must follow the anti-ragging rules. To add to the discipline, the committees have been given the responsibility to make campuses alcohol-free. According to the Government Order (GO) ED 43 URC 2009 that was issued recently, the governor will head the state-level monitoring cell and the DGP will be the member secretary. The VCs of all the universities and other professional bodies will be the members of the committee and they will have to ensure the strict implementation of the anti-ragging law in every institution.

The members will have to submit periodical reports to the Central government to make sure that no ragging activities are carried out. Six district-level committees will assist the state-level monitoring cell and the concerned DCs, the district SP, a noted psychiatrist and other health officials will head the district-level committees.

According to the GO, the district committees will be given a number of responsibilities including keeping vigil on alcoholism among the students, receiving distress calls and appellate authority powers. The district committee has also been directed to hold summer training programmes for the heads of the educational institutions so that they can develop various initiatives like anti-ragging cells, college-level student programmes, etc.

The GO also made registration mandatory for all privately managed hostels and lodges that function outside a said campus. The managements of these lodges will have to obtain a no objection certificate (NoC) from the police before they can offer space for boarding and lodging.