Preface

Sree Sankara College Anti-Ragging Committee is a statutory body constituted to upkeep the safety and educational ambience on the campus and off the campus for its student community. The committee functions with the core objectives of upholding and uplifting the mission of the college and in doing so, enhances the quality of life at the campus by ensuring utmost safety to the student community. The members of the committee shall carry out functions that are relevant within the scope of the Anti-Ragging Committee policy by continuously contributing, monitoring, and enforcing the guidelines drawn by the UGC, the Government of Kerala and Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam. The Anti-Ragging Committee Policy touches upon the functionality, procedure, principles, scope, ways, implementation and means of upholding the objectives set by the cell, for the college. This policy document will serve as a guide to the committee members as well as to its stakeholders, in their mission to maintain the campus Ragging free.

Introduction

The College has a coherent and an effective anti-ragging policy in place which is based on the ‘UGC Regulation on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009’ [hereinafter referred to as the ‘UGC Regulations’]. The UGC Regulations have been framed in view of the directions issued by the Honourable Supreme Court of India to prevent and prohibit ragging in all Indian Educational Institutions and Colleges. The said UGC Regulations shall apply to the College and the students are requested kindly to abide by the same.

What Constitutes Ragging

Ragging constitutes one or more of the following acts:

• Any conduct by any student or students whether verbal or written or by an act which has the effect of teasing, verbal/physical rudeness, impolite and/or indecent gesture towards any student;
• Indulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities by any student or students which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship, physical, psychological or emotional trauma/harm or to raise fear, anxiety or apprehension of danger thereof in any other student;
• Asking any student to do any act which such student will not in the ordinary course do and which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame, torment or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique, psyche or emotions of such a student;
• Any act by a senior student that prevents, disrupts or disturbs the regular academic activity of any student;
• Exploiting the services of a student for completing the academic tasks assigned to an individual or a group of students;
• Any act of financial extortion or forceful expenditure burden imposed on a student by fellow students;
• Any act of physical abuse including all variants of it: sexual abuse, stripping, forcing obscene and lewd acts, gestures, causing bodily harm or any other danger to health or person;
• Any act or abuse by spoken words, emails, post, public insults, social media posts which would also include deriving perverted pleasure, vicarious or sadistic thrill from actively or passively participating in the discomfiture to any other student;
• Any act that affects the mental health and self-confidence of any other student with or without an intent to derive a sadistic pleasure or showing off power, authority or superiority by a student over any other student.
• In case of emergency the students/parents in distress owing to ragging may use National Anti-Ragging Helpline 1800-180-5522 (Toll Free) Website: www.antiragging.in, Email: info@amanmovement.org and Mobile No. 09871170303, 09818400116 (only in case of emergency)
• Ragging is totally banned in the College and anyone found guilty of ragging and/or abetting ragging is liable to be punished as it is a criminal offence.

Introduction to Anti-Ragging Committee

The Anti-Ragging Committee is constituted as per the provisions contained in Clause 6.3(a) of the UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions in the year 2009.

The cell will be the Supervisory and Advisory Committee in preserving a Culture of Ragging Free Environment in the college Campus. The committee will engage in the work of checking places like Hostels, Canteens, Classrooms and other places of student congregation. All the students are informed about the following administrative actions taken if anyone found guilty in the ragging cases:

The committee will be involved in designing strategies and action plan for curbing the Menace of Ragging in the college by adopting array of activities.

Objectives

• To prevent and protect the student community from being ragged or indulging in the act of ragging
• To bring awareness among the students about the ill effects of ragging, its impact on human life and consequences of involvement in the act of ragging
• To receive the complaints of ragging and resolve them through the committee.
• To initiate legal actions when required considering the intensity of ragging instances in case occur

Monitoring Mechanism

Anti-ragging Committee: Sree Sankara College has constituted an Anti-ragging committee which is headed by the Head of the Institution, and consisting of representatives of civil and police administration, local media, representatives of faculty members, representatives of parents, representatives of students belonging to the freshers’ category as well as senior students, non-teaching staff; and have a diverse mix of membership in terms of level as well as gender.  The Anti-Ragging Committee ensures compliance with the provisions of the regulations as well as the provisions of any law for the time being in force concerning ragging; and also to monitor prevention of ragging in the institution.

Duties of Ragging Grievant or Witness

• Ragging is a grave offence prohibited and punishable by law. If any ragging instance takes place, then the following guidelines will help you.
• Do not panic or get scared, start walking towards principal’s office
• Do not abuse back or try to answer or to settle the issue on the spot
• Immediate help could be requested from any of the committee members or staff members who are found in the nearest distance
• If ragging is observed by a third person, then the same may be immediately brought to the notice of any of the SSARC members or staff members in the nearest distance
• A written complaint has to be submitted to the committee, describing the ragging instance, completely with date, time and place of happening
• The complaint should contain the identity of the complainant and the identity of the alleged
• The complainant should submit the complaint in person to any of the committeemembers
• The confidentiality of the complainant and any other applicable issues shall be maintained

Redressal of Ragging Cases Reported

• On receiving a report/complaint (orally or in written form),
• The committee members shall immediately arrange for securing the complainant and/or victim
• The victim should be taken for counselling
• A written complaint shall be received from the complainant and/or victim describing the full details instance, date, time and place of occurrence
• The complainant’s and/or victim’s identity such as name, class, semester, section, contact number, e-mail ID, parent’s name, parent’s contact details shall be obtained
• The alleged’s identity such as name, class, semester, contact number, email ID, parent’s name, parent’s contact details, shall be obtained
• The complaint shall be noted down in the Ragging Complaints Book
• The complaint shall be brought to the notice of the Convenor
• A hearing shall be held in consultation with the Convenor to resolve the issue to decide upon the action
• The actions against the alleged if found guilty shall be recommended by the Anti-Ragging Cell to the Head of the institution

Disciplinary Actions

• Suspension pending enquiry, from attending classes and other academic privileges
• Withholding/withdrawing scholarship/fellowship and other benefits.
• Debarring from appearing in any test/examination or other evaluation process.
• Debarring from representing the institution in any regional, national or international meet, tournament, youth festival, etc.
• Suspension/expulsion from the hostel.
• Cancellation of admission.
• Rustication from the institution for period ranging from one to four semesters.
• Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution for a specified period.
• Provided that where the persons committing or abetting the act of ragging are not identified, the Institution shall resort to collective punishment.

Undertaking

Sree Sankara College Anti Ragging Cell also sees to it that the obtain an undertaking from the newly admitted students and their parents/guardians that they will not resort to/support activities related to ragging and that they are aware of the consequences if they act to the contrary.

UNDERTAKING BY THE CANDIDATE/STUDENT

1.    I, ………………………………………………………………. S/o. D/o. of Mr./Mrs./Ms. ………………………………………… have carefully read and fully understood the law prohibiting ragging and the directions of the Supreme Court and the Central/State Government in this regard.

2.    I have received a copy of the UGC Regulations on curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institution, 2009, and have carefully gone through it.

3.    I, hereby, undertake that

-I will not indulge in any behaviour or act that may come under the definition of ragging.

-I will not participate in or abet or propagate ragging in any form.

-I will not hurt anyone physically or psychologically or cause any other harm.

-I, hereby, agree that if found guilty of any aspect of ragging, I may be punished as per the provision of the UGC Regulations mentioned above and / or as per the law in force.

-I, hereby, affirm that I have not been expelled or debarred from admission by any institution.

Signed this ………………. Day of …………… month of …………..year

Signature:

Name:

Address:

UNDERTAKING BY PARENT/GUARDIAN

1.    I, ………………………………………………………………….. F/o.M/o.G/o. ………………………………… have carefully read and fully understood the law prohibiting ragging and the directions of the Supreme Court and the Central/State Government in this regard as well as the UGC Regulations on curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009.

2.    I assure you that my son/daughter/ ward will not indulge in any act of ragging.

3.    I, hereby, agree that if he/she is found guilty of any aspect of ragging, he/she may be punished as per the provisions of the UGC Regulations mentioned above and /or as per the law in force.

Signed this ……………. Day of ……………. month of ………….year

Signature:

Name:

Address: