Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:-

(a)  whether it is a fact that, not withstanding several precautions taken and orders and directions issued to prevent ragging in higher educational institutions, serious cases of ragging, resulting in deaths and serious injuries to many, have been reported this year;

(b) if so, the number of deaths reported this year and serious injuries caused due to ragging so far reported, with details thereof in each case; and

(c) what punitive steps are proposed against those not fully following orders/directions on ragging?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SMT.D.PURANDESWARI)

(a) to (c) While information on incidents of ragging is not Centrally maintained, the Committee for monitoring the recommendations of the Raghavan Committee on measures for prevention of ragging, also appointed by the Supreme Court, has come across 70 cases of ragging reported in the print media during the current academic year (2007-08). Ragging is reported to be the cause of nine cases of suicide and three cases of serious injuries among these cases. The Central Government has drawn the attention of States and regulatory institutions (like the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), University Grants Commission (UGC), Medical Council of India) to the various recommendations contained in the Report of the Committee for Prevention of Ragging for implementation. This Ministry has also launched a media campaign through newspapers. Provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 are attracted in appropriate instances and the directions of the Apex Court mandates filing of First Information Reports by institutions with local police authorities, wherever victims are not satisfied with the action taken by institutional authorities.