Student Ragging in India: Current Status

Abstract

The term ragging refers to the playful teasing or mocking of new students, often involving rough or boisterous behaviour. The practice has roots in British schools and universities originating in the 17th century. Over time, the practice opted for a more sinister connotation, particularly in the context of the educational institutions in India and Sri Lanka, where it is referred to as the physical and mental harassment of new students by their seniors. In India, ragging has become a significant concern, with many institutions implementing strict anti-ragging policies to prevent the physical and emotional abuse of new students. An estimated six million young students enrolled in approximately India’s 335 universities and 17000 colleges are contaminated by ragging. It is most prevalent in engineering, military and medical colleges. The medical colleges are worst affected by ragging in India. At first, it was practised mainly in the army and English public schools. During the 90’s private medical and engineering colleges were established in large numbers and it was during this period that ragging started showing its ugly face. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal reported the largest number of reported incidents of ragging.