The Kerala High Court has decided to constitute a special bench to hear cases related to ragging in the state.
A decision to this effect was made on Tuesday by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice S Manu while considering a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) to curb ragging incidents.
Highlighting the recently-reported incidents of ragging in the colleges in the state, the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA), a statutory body providing free legal aid for citizens, had sought the formation of state and district-level anti-ragging monitoring committees to oversee the enforcement of anti-ragging laws.
The petition states that, despite laws like the Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998 (Kerala) and the UGC Regulations, 2009, there has been “a systemic failure in the implementation of preventive measures”.
KeLSA also suggested that the educational institutions and relevant governmental departments should submit regular progress reports to the committee to introduce an accountability framework. It is also suggested that a framework should be established where every incident of ragging is immediately flagged and processed through district-level monitoring bodies.
The court has instructed educational institutions and government departments to submit progress reports to the state-level monitoring committee. Additionally, it has emphasized the need for the formation of anti-ragging squads in schools to curb instances of harassment and abuse among students.
KeLSA submitted that it can help in conducting a periodic audit of the anti-ragging measures taken at the district and taluk level. It has also put forward the suggestion of conducting training programs for educational authorities, teachers and student representatives to help them identify early signs of ragging and to create awareness of the relevant legal framework.
KeLSA, in its petition, argues that ragging is “a deeply entrenched social menace” that continues to plague educational institutions, often leading to severe psychological, emotional, and physical harm. It questioned the status of the Cell for Anti-Ragging Efforts (CARE) that was mandated by the High Court in 2000, but appears to be non-functional.
The petitioner called for stricter laws and stronger enforcement of existing University Grants Commission (UGC) anti-ragging norms to ensure a safer environment in educational institutions.