Delhi University students gang up against ragging

The student's union will launch a helpline for fachchas in distress, starting this June

Delhi University students gang up against ragging

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Delhi University students gang up against ragging

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The student's union will launch a helpline for fachchas in distress, starting this June

A simple phone call could make life a lot easier for freshers at the Delhi University this year. Those who used to fear calling authorities for help against harassment by senior students can now get help from students themselves.

Apart from the anti-ragging squads constituted by the Delhi University Student's Union (DUSU) last year, the student's body has decided to launch a helpline for fachchas in distress.

Ragging triggered national outrage recently after Aman Kachroo, a 19-year-old student was brutally tortured to death by his senior students at the Kangra Medical College in Himachal Pradesh.

DUSU president Nupur Sharma said, "The helpline will be of particular help to those who live in hostels and get ragged once the classes are over.

We have also been talking to the police as well as university authorities."

"Students can ask for help directly or if required, we will take up their case with college authorities," she added.

The helpline, which is scheduled to come into operation by mid-July will have a team of trained students working on it. The main centre of operation will be student's union office.

The body's president has sent a request for the same. The team will work in tandem with the anti-ragging squad of the Delhi University.

Posters, banners and pamphlets will be distributed in the first week of July to educate students about the facility.

Reacting to the initiative, Delhi University Proctor Gurmeet Singh said, "We really appreciate such a move by the DUSU president.

It will help create fear in the mind of students who think ragging is fun. But our campus is ragging-free and in the last five years we have not witnessed any such incident."

Last year, sealed complaint boxes were placed in front of the principal's office in all colleges, especially which has hostels and officials were given special instructions to take prompt action on these complaints as per university norms.

An anti-ragging squad was also formed with the help of the Delhi Police to monitor college campuses. According to the Delhi University rules, a student may be expelled if found ragging his/her junior.

Rajeev Jain, a second-year Chemistry student of Kirori Mal College said, "For most students, the thrill of starting college gets diluted by the fear of being ragged by seniors.

And although it has been banned, there have been stray cases of ragging on the campus and in college hostels. Sometimes students fear calling cops.

In such cases this helpline number will be a boon as they will get in direct touch with the DUSU president."

The Supreme Court ruled:

All state governments should set up committees to prevent ragging
Colleges should have a psychiatrist to provide counselling to students
Set up a helpline for ragging victims
Implement Raghavan Committee's recommendations such as registration of criminal complaint by the educational institution concerned against those found guilty of ragging and immediate suspension from the college or university despite pending inquiry
nStopping UGC aid to such government or government-aided educational institutions

Past incidents

Hindu College, 2007: The principal filed a police complaint against a graduate student for ragging a first-year student. He was forced to dance and was abused when he refused.

Ramjas College, 2007: Six students were suspended for ragging.u00a0

Swami Shraddhanand College, 2008: A student was ragged by two second-year students; asked to dance and take off his clothes. When objected he was beaten up.