Latest news with #KeralaProhibitionofRaggingAct
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
What does the Kerala draft anti-ragging Bill say?
A 12-member multi-disciplinary working group, constituted by the Kerala government in March, has drafted a Bill to amend the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998. The committee was formed in March following a directive from the Kerala High Court, which acted upon a petition moved by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) raising concerns about the increasing incidents of ragging in educational institutions. The draft proposes to bring the premises of all academic institutions under the purview of the ragging act. This includes the institutions' academic buildings, residential areas, playgrounds, and canteens, whether located within the campus or outside, bus stands, homestays, and all means of transportation used by students, whether public or private. The existing Act had defined its scope only as "the whole of Kerala." The draft has included the term 'body shaming' within the purview of ragging, along with existing terms such as 'teasing' and 'abusing' or playing practical jokes on, or causing hurt. Additionally, while the existing Act says ragging is 'asking a student to do any act or perform something which such student will not, in the ordinary course, willingly do,' the Bill has added 'asking a student not to do any act or perform something which such student will do in the ordinary course' within the definition of ragging. Any form of ragging committed through the Internet or in any digital mode shall be a cognizable offence. According to the existing Act, ragging within or outside any educational institution is prohibited. The punishment for committing, participating in, abetting, or propagating ragging within or outside any educational institution shall, on conviction, be increased to three years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25,000. Currently, the maximum punishment is two years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000. Whenever there is a complaint regarding ragging, written or oral, the institution head should immediately decide whether a case can be made out prima facie for registration of an FIR within 24 hours. Additionally, the accused person should be suspended forthwith. The existing Act had allowed seven days for the institution head to act upon the complaint before handing it over to the police. The draft states that every institution shall constitute an anti-ragging committee headed by its chief with eight representatives from various segments, such as faculty, senior students, freshers, and parents. There should be an anti-ragging squad at institutes, a state-level monitoring cell with a nodal officer, and an anti-ragging cell at each police station. Any person who makes a false complaint of ragging against any person, committed solely to humiliate, extort, threaten, or defame them, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with a fine, or both. No person shall make any report or quote regarding any victim of ragging, even in any form of media, which may have the effect of lowering their reputation or infringing upon their privacy. The identity of the victim, including their name, address, photograph, family details, educational institution, neighbourhood, or any other details, should not be disclosed.
The Hindu
13-07-2025
- The Hindu
Body shaming, forcing liquor and drugs, online ragging made punishable in Kerala draft anti-ragging bill
Body shaming, asking a student to do any act or perform something, which he/she will not do in the ordinary course and forcing a fresher to use tobacco, liquor and prohibited/scheduled narcotic substances will be deemed as an act of ragging, according to a draft bill being considered by the Kerala government. The draft bill, the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging (Amendment) Bill, has also brought 'any form of ragging committed through the internet or in any digital mode' under the ambit of the criminal act of ragging for which severe punishment has been prescribed. Ragging including any form of ragging committed through internet or digital mode shall be a cognizable offence. The drat Bill, while amending some of the key provisions of the principal act, Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, has widened its ambit to cover all the educational institutions including universities, deemed to be university, including teaching departments, higher educational institutions, schools and other institutions under general education department, elements and constituent units of such institutions, all their premises in Kerala. Also Read | Six students booked for ragging junior in Kerala's Kozhikode Teaching branches of all government departments, institutions of national importance established by an Act of Parliament, Central Universities, and all coaching and tuition centres have been brought under the definition of educational institutions. The draft legislation also covers academic and residential premises of all such institutions, besides the playgrounds, canteens located within and outside the campuses, bus stands, home stays, all means of public and private transportation facilities accessed by students for the pursuit of studies in such institutions in Kerala. A host of criminal acts committed as part of the ragging including abetment to ragging, criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, rioting, public nuisance, and committing obscene and sexual acts committed while ragging will come under the ambit of the draft Bill. Causing bodily harm during the act of ragging, stripping, theft, extortion, dishonest misappropriation of property, criminal breach of trust, criminal trespass, criminal intimidation will also come under the scope of the Bill, according to the draft legislation. The State had witnessed a series of public protests following the death of J. S. Sidharthan, a 20-year-old student. He was found dead at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad, in February 2024, allegedly following brutal ragging. Recently, the Kerala High Court had asked the State government to provide a copy of the draft Anti-Ragging (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to the Kerala State Legal Services Authority and the University Grants Commission on a petition filed by the Authority.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Time of India
KSU urges collector to act on rising violence at Maharaja's College men's hostel
Kochi: KSU has written to district collector NSK Umesh, seeking urgent intervention into alleged rising incidents of violence and ragging at Maharaja's College men's hostel. KSU has requested collector to check drug abuse within the hostel and its premises. According to KSU, violence became routine in the hostel, with past complaints, FIRs and student protests failing to prompt action. "The culture of impunity that took root in the hostel poses a grave threat not only to the safety of individual students but to the integrity of the institution itself. We are concerned that if left unaddressed, this environment will continue to breed lawlessness, fear and irreparable harm to young lives," said a letter written by KSU Ernakulam assembly president Muhammad Ajmal K K. In the letter, the student outfit cited Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998, highlighting that many of the acts within the hostel constitute clear cases of ragging, including physical assault, intimidation and psychological abuse. KSU has demanded a time-bound inquiry, installation of CCTV cameras, regular police inspections and strict implementation of anti-ragging guidelines. "We seek justice for victims and a safe, dignified space for all students," stated the letter.
