In a crackdown on ragging, the Gujarat govt will take strict action against educational institutions, perpetrators of ragging as well as victims and witnesses, if they fail to report the incidents to the authorities.
A government resolution (GR) was issued to this effect on Tuesday. This was brought to the notice of the Gujarat High Court on Wednesday after the court took suo motu cognizance of a ragging incident at BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad last year.
The provision in the GR reads: “Freshers who do not report incidents of ragging either as victims or witnesses shall also be punished suitably.” However, the burden of proof is on the perpetrator and not the victim. Educational institutions are required to file FIRs for cases of ragging, if required.
According to the GR, the punishment for perpetrators includes suspension or expulsion from the institute, withdrawal of scholarship, debarment from exam and educational events, withholding of results, expulsion from hostel, cancellation of admission, suspension from academic activities for up to four semesters and debarment from admission to other institutes for five years. Students indulging in ragging will have a remark about their behaviour on their migration certificates.
The punishment also includes provision for imprisonment of up to two years. If perpetrators are not identified, there is a provision for collective punishment as well.
Private hostels will have to be registered with the local police and must report such incidents or they will be held responsible for non-reporting.
The GR also suggests exercises to make campuses ragging free. Every institute is required to conduct anonymous random surveys among freshers every fortnight for three months to verify if the campus is ragging free.
Also, institutes must undertake awareness campaigns and activities to strengthen the relationship between freshers and senior students.
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