Ragging is the term used for the “Initiation Ritual” practiced in higher educational institutions. It is like an elephant in the room in the educational sphere in India and a word dreaded by the students and their family members alike. It involves abuse, humiliation or harassment of new entrants or junior students by the senior students. The senior students feel that it is a tool of social interaction and thus helps their juniors to break the ice with their seniors. Generally, ragging is a form of systematic and sustained physical, mental and even sexual abuse of freshers at the colleges, university and educational institutions at the hands of senior students and sometimes even by outsiders in campus and hostel. Ragging is a subset of bullying. Unlike various complex forms of bullying, ragging is easily recognisable.
In 2025, Mihir Ahammed a 15-year-old student of the Global Public School Ernakulam, Kochi committed suicide after he was ragged by his senior classmates. According to the police, the student committed suicide by jumping off the 26th floor of a 40-story flat complex. Mihir’s case is not an isolated one. From 2012 to 2024, there have been more than 300 cases of suicides or deaths directly linked to ragging. It is shocking that from 2022 to 20244 alone, 51 cases of deaths directly linked to ragging have been reported. Another shocking revelation is that although only 1.1% of the total students in higher education pursue medical sciences, nearly 45% of the ragging related deaths have occurred in the medical college campuses in the last decade. More than 10,000 students have suffered lifetime mental trauma, social stigma or psychological scars directly linked to the effects of ragging. As many as 50 parents of the victims have committed suicide during this period. Whie there exists no data published by the Government on this matter, the reports of different NGOs help us to understand the dreadful effects caused by this menace on the Indian society. It is shocking to learn that although nearly 45% of the students in India face ragging, only 8.6% of them report the incidents. This shows the helplessness rooted in the psyche of the students, an issue the Government must take notice of. Among the states, Maharashtra leads the chart in the number of ragging related cases, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
As per UGC regulations, it is mandatory for a college to register a first information report (F.I.R.) with police against the culprits if any violence, physical abuse, sexual harassment, confinement etc. takes place with any fresher. After receiving any such complaint from the helpline, it becomes the duty of the head of the institution to register the F.I.R. with police within 24 hours. In 2013, a police case was registered against the director, dean and registrar of a reputed college in Delhi for, among other charges, not informing the police and registering F.I.R. within 24 hours of receiving the ragging complaint.
In 1997, the state of Tamil Nadu first passed laws related to ragging. Subsequently, a major boost to anti-ragging efforts was given by a landmark judgement of the Supreme Court of India in May 2001, in response to a Public Interest Litigation filed by the Vishwa Jagriti Mission founded by Sudhanshu Ji Maharaj. In 1999, the Government of Maharashtra enacted the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999 to prohibit ragging. The Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), following a directive by the Supreme Court, appointed a seven-member panel headed by former CBI director Dr. R. K. Raghavan to recommend anti-ragging measures. The Raghavan Committee report, submitted to the court in May 2007, includes a proposal to include ragging as a special section under the Indian Penal Code. In 2009, in the wake of Aman Kachroo’s death, the University Grants Commission (UGC) passed UGC regulation on curbing ragging in higher educational institutions. These regulations mandate every college responsibility to curb ragging, including strict pre-emptive measures, like lodging freshers in a separate hostel, surprise raids at night by the anti-ragging squad and submission of affidavits by all senior students and their parents taking oath not to indulge in ragging. Society Against Violence in Education (SAVE) is India’s first registered anti-ragging nonprofit organisation (NGO). Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 acknowledges ragging under wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, and assault.
Challenges in Eradication of the Menace
Deep-Rooted Cultural & Traditional Acceptance: Ragging is perceived as a tradition or rite of passage which prepares newcomers for the challenges of academic life and the real world.
Lack of Awareness: Lack of awareness among freshers about anti-ragging helplines and complaint portals.
Fear of Retaliation: Victims often hesitate to report incidents due to fear of retaliation, further harassment or ridicule by others.
Lack of Strict Enforcement: Weak enforcement of anti-ragging laws and the burden of proof on victims often allow perpetrators to go unpunished. Ineffective grievance redressal -Many anti-ragging committees exist only in name, lacking real authority or action. Complaints are often ignored or not resolved in a timely manner.
Role of Institutions: Institutions often downplay enforcing anti-ragging laws to protect their reputations, rankings and funding.
Inadequate monitoring & grievance mechanisms:
- Poor CCTV surveillance and lack of digital complaint tracking reduce transparency and accountability.
- Inefficiencies in anti-ragging helplines result in many cases going unreported or unresolved.
Raghavan Committee Recommendations (2007)
Accreditation: National Assessment and Accreditation Council bodies should factor incident of ragging while accrediting institutions.
Set up Anti-Ragging Cells, Anti-Ragging Committee and an Anti-Ragging Squad.
Setting up of ‘Mentoring Cell’ in each institution to oversee and involve senior students as Mentors for the ‘fresher’.
Advertisement: Launch effective advertisement campaigns at the national and regional level regarding `zero tolerance’ towards ragging.
National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) should devise Human Rights education of which awareness against ragging should be a compulsory part.
Way Forward
1. Strengthening legal & institutional framework
Invoke UGC Clause 9.4 against non-compliant institutions.
Fast-track trials and strict punishment for offenders.
2. Technology-driven monitoring
Install AI-based CCTVs in hostels and campuses.
Create anonymous digital complaint tracking systems.
3. Awareness & Behavioural change
Conduct mandatory anti-ragging workshops.
Implement student mentorship programs to foster inclusivity.
4. Strengthening reporting mechanisms
Improve UGC helpline accessibility.
Establish anonymous online reporting portals with direct police alerts.
5. Community and peer involvement:
Mobilize senior students to act as mentors and promote a positive campus culture.
Engage parents and local communities in anti-ragging initiatives.
Conclusion
Despite strong laws and Supreme Court guidelines, ragging continues to plague India’s education system. A multi-pronged approach involving legal action, institutional reforms, technology integration, and cultural change is essential. Strict enforcement and student-led initiatives can create a safe and inclusive academic environment, free from the menace of ragging.
