UGC Regulations on Ragging
UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION
BAHADURSHAH ZAFAR MARG
NEW DELHI – 110 002
UGC REGULATIONS ON CURBING THE MENACE OF RAGGING IN
HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, 2009.
(under Section 26 (1)(g) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956)
(TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE OF INDIA PART III, SECTION-4)
F.1-16/2007(CPP-II) Dated 17
th
June, 2009.
PREAMBLE.
In view of the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of
“University of Kerala v/s. Council, Principals, Colleges and others” in SLP no. 24295 of
2006 dated 16.05.2007 and that dated 8.05.2009 in Civil Appeal number 887 of 2009,
and in consideration of the determination of the Central Government and the University
Grants Commission to prohibit, prevent and eliminate the scourge of ragging including
any conduct by any student or students whether by words spoken or written or by an
act which has the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness a fresher or any
other student, or indulging in rowdy or indisciplined activities by any student or students
which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship or psychological harm or to raise
fear or apprehension thereof in any fresher or any other student or 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, or torment or embarrassment so as
to adversely affect the physique or psyche of such fresher or 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 fresher or any other student, in all higher education
institutions in the country, and thereby, to provide for the healthy development,
physically and psychologically, of all students, the University Grants Commission, in
consultation with the Councils, brings forth this Regulation.
In exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (g) of sub-section (1) of Section 26 of
the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, the University Grants Commission hereby
makes the following Regulations, namely; 2
1. Title, commencement and applicability.-
1.1 These regulations shall be called the “UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of
Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009”.
1.2 They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official
Gazette.
1.3 They shall apply to all the institutions coming within the definition of an
University under sub-section (f) of section (2) of the University Grants Commission Act,
1956, and to all institutions deemed to be a university under Section 3 of the University
Grants Commission Act, 1956, to all other higher educational institutions, or elements of
such universities or institutions, including its departments, constituent units and all the
premises, whether being academic, residential, playgrounds, canteen, or other such
premises of such universities, deemed universities and higher educational institutions,
whether located within the campus or outside, and to all means of transportation of
students, whether public or private, accessed by students for the pursuit of studies in
such universities, deemed universities and higher educational institutions.
2. Objectives.-
To prohibit any conduct by any student or students whether by words spoken or
written or by an act which has the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness a
fresher or any other student, or indulging in rowdy or indisciplined activities by any
student or students which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship or
psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in any fresher or any other
student or 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, or
torment or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of such
fresher or 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 fresher or any other
student; and thereby, to eliminate ragging in all its forms from universities, deemed
universities and other higher educational institutions in the country by prohibiting it 3
under these Regulations, preventing its occurrence and punishing those who indulge in
ragging as provided for in these Regulations and the appropriate law in force.
3. What constitutes Ragging.- Ragging constitutes one or more of any of the
following acts:
a. any conduct by any student or students whether by words spoken or written or
by an act which has the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness a
fresher or any other student;
b. indulging in rowdy or indisciplined activities by any student or students which
causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship, physical or psychological harm
or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in any fresher or any other student;
c. 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,
or torment or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche
of such fresher or any other student;
d. any act by a senior student that prevents, disrupts or disturbs the regular
academic activity of any other student or a fresher;
e. exploiting the services of a fresher or any other student for completing the
academic tasks assigned to an individual or a group of students.
f. any act of financial extortion or forceful expenditure burden put on a fresher or
any other student by students;
g. any act of physical abuse including all variants of it: sexual abuse, homosexual
assaults, stripping, forcing obscene and lewd acts, gestures, causing bodily harm
or any other danger to health or person;
h. any act or abuse by spoken words, emails, post, public insults which would also
include deriving perverted pleasure, vicarious or sadistic thrill from actively or
passively participating in the discomfiture to fresher or any other student ;
i. any act that affects the mental health and self-confidence of a fresher or 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 fresher or any other student.
4
4. Definitions.-
1) In these regulations unless the context otherwise requires,-
a) “Act” means, the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 (3 of 1956);
b) “Academic year” means the period from the commencement of admission of
students in any course of study in the institution up to the completion of
academic requirements for that particular year.
c) “Anti-Ragging Helpline” means the Helpline established under clause (a) of
Regulation 8.1 of these Regulations.
d) “Commission” means the University Grants Commission;
e) “Council” means a body so constituted by an Act of Parliament or an Act of
any State Legislature for setting, or co-ordinating or maintaining standards in the
relevant areas of higher education, such as the All India Council for Technical
Education (AICTE), the Bar Council of India (BCI), the Dental Council of India
(DCI), the Distance Education Council (DEC), the Indian Council of Agricultural
Research (ICAR), the Indian Nursing Council (INC), the Medical Council of India
(MCI), the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), the Pharmacy Council
of India (PCI), etc. and the State Higher Education Councils.
f) “District Level Anti-Ragging Committee” means the Committee, headed by
the District Magistrate, constituted by the State Government, for the control and
elimination of ragging in institutions within the jurisdiction of the district.
g) “Head of the institution” means the Vice-Chancellor in case of a university or a
deemed to be university, the Principal or the Director or such other designation
as the executive head of the institution or the college is referred.
h) “Fresher” means a student who has been admitted to an institution and who
is undergoing his/her first year of study in such institution.
i) “Institution” means a higher educational institution including, but not limited
to an university, a deemed to be university, a college, an institute, an institution
of national importance set up by an Act of Parliament or a constituent unit of
such institution, imparting higher education beyond 12 years of schooling leading
to, but not necessarily culminating in, a degree (graduate, postgraduate and/or
higher level) and/or to a university diploma. 5
j) “NAAC” means the National Academic and Accreditation Council established by
the Commission under section 12(ccc) of the Act;
k) “State Level Monitoring Cell” means the body constituted by the State
Government for the control and elimination of ragging in institutions within the
jurisdiction of the State, established under a State Law or on the advice of the
Central Government, as the case may be.
(2) Words and expressions used and not defined herein but defined in the Act or in
the General Clauses Act, 1897, shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in
the Act or in the General Clauses Act, 1897, as the case may be.
5. Measures for prohibition of ragging at the institution level:-
a) No institution or any part of it thereof, including its elements, including, but not
limited to, the departments, constituent units, colleges, centres of studies and all
its premises, whether academic, residential, playgrounds, or canteen, whether
located within the campus or outside, and in all means of transportation of
students, whether public or private, accessed by students for the pursuit of
studies in such institutions, shall permit or condone any reported incident of
ragging in any form; and all institutions shall take all necessary and required
measures, including but not limited to the provisions of these Regulations, to
achieve the objective of eliminating ragging, within the institution or outside,
b) All institutions shall take action in accordance with these Regulations against
those found guilty of ragging and/or abetting ragging, actively or passively, or
being part of a conspiracy to promote ragging.
6 Measures for prevention of ragging at the institution level.-
6.1 An institution shall take the following steps in regard to admission or registration
of students; namely,
a) Every public declaration of intent by any institution, in any electronic, audiovisual or print or any other media, for admission of students to any course of
study shall expressly provide that ragging is totally prohibited in the institution, 6
and anyone found guilty of ragging and/or abetting ragging, whether actively or
passively, or being a part of a conspiracy to promote ragging, is liable to be
punished in accordance with these Regulations as well as under the provisions of
any penal law for the time being in force.
b) The brochure of admission/instruction booklet or the prospectus, whether in print
or electronic format, shall prominently print these Regulations in full.
Provided that the institution shall also draw attention to any law
concerning ragging and its consequences, as may be applicable to the institution
publishing such brochure of admission/instruction booklet or the prospectus.
Provided further that the telephone numbers of the Anti-Ragging Helpline
and all the important functionaries in the institution, including but not limited to
the Head of the institution, faculty members, members of the Anti-Ragging
Committees and Anti-Ragging Squads, District and Sub-Divisional authorities,
Wardens of hostels, and other functionaries or authorities where relevant, shall
be published in the brochure of admission/instruction booklet or the prospectus.
c) Where an institution is affiliated to a University and publishes a brochure of
admission/instruction booklet or a prospectus, the affiliating university shall
ensure that the affiliated institution shall comply with the provisions of clause (a)
and clause (b) of Regulation 6.1 of these Regulations.
d) The application form for admission, enrolment or registration shall contain an
affidavit, mandatorily in English and in Hindi and/or in one of the regional
languages known to the applicant, as provided in the English language in
Annexure I to these Regulations, to be filled up and signed by the applicant to
the effect that he/she has read and understood the provisions of these
Regulations as well as the provisions of any other law for the time being in force,
and is aware of the prohibition of ragging and the punishments prescribed, both
under penal laws as well as under these Regulations and also affirm to the effect
that he/she has not been expelled and/or debarred by any institution and further
aver that he/she would not indulge, actively or passively, in the act or abet the
act of ragging and if found guilty of ragging and/or abetting ragging, is liable to
be proceeded against under these Regulations or under any penal law or any 7
other law for the time being in force and such action would include but is not
limited to debarment or expulsion of such student.
e) The application form for admission, enrolment or registration shall contain an
affidavit, mandatorily in English and in Hindi and/or in one of the regional
languages known to the parents/guardians of the applicant, as provided in the
English language in Annexure I to these Regulations, to be filled up and signed
by the parents/guardians of the applicant to the effect that he/she has read and
understood the provisions of these Regulations as well as the provisions of any
other law for the time being in force, and is aware of the prohibition of ragging
and the punishments prescribed, both under penal laws as well as under these
Regulations and also affirm to the effect that his/her ward has not been expelled
and/or debarred by any institution and further aver that his/her ward would not
indulge, actively or passively, in the act or abet the act of ragging and if found
guilty of ragging and/or abetting ragging, his/her ward is liable to be proceeded
against under these Regulations or under any penal law or any other law for the
time being in force and such action would include but is not limited to debarment
or expulsion of his/her ward.
f) The application for admission shall be accompanied by a document in the form
of, or annexed to, the School Leaving Certificate/Transfer Certificate/Migration
Certificate/Character Certificate reporting on the inter-personal/social behavioural
pattern of the applicant, to be issued by the school or institution last attended by
the applicant, so that the institution can thereafter keep watch on the applicant,
if admitted, whose behaviour has been commented in such document.
g) A student seeking admission to a hostel forming part of the institution, or
seeking to reside in any temporary premises not forming part of the institution,
including a private commercially managed lodge or hostel, shall have to submit
additional affidavits countersigned by his/her parents/guardians in the form
prescribed in Annexure I and Annexure II to these Regulations respectively along
with his/her application.
h) Before the commencement of the academic session in any institution, the Head
of the Institution shall convene and address a meeting of various
functionaries/agencies, such as Hostel Wardens, representatives of students, 8
parents/ guardians, faculty, district administration including the police, to discuss
the measures to be taken to prevent ragging in the institution and steps to be
taken to identify those indulging in or abetting ragging and punish them.
i) The institution shall, to make the community at large and the students in
particular aware of the dehumanizing effect of ragging, and the approach of the
institution towards those indulging in ragging, prominently display posters
depicting the provisions of penal law applicable to incidents of ragging, and the
provisions of these Regulations and also any other law for the time being in
force, and the punishments thereof, shall be prominently displayed on Notice
Boards of all departments, hostels and other buildings as well as at places,
where students normally gather and at places, known to be vulnerable to
occurrences of ragging incidents.
j) The institution shall request the media to give adequate publicity to the law
prohibiting ragging and the negative aspects of ragging and the institution’s
resolve to ban ragging and punish those found guilty without fear or favour.
k) The institution shall identify, properly illuminate and keep a close watch on all
locations known to be vulnerable to occurrences of ragging incidents.
l) The institution shall tighten security in its premises, especially at vulnerable
places and intense policing by Anti-Ragging Squad, referred to in these
Regulations and volunteers, if any, shall be resorted to at such points at odd
hours during the first few months of the academic session.
m) The institution shall utilize the vacation period before the start of the new
academic year to launch a publicity campaign against ragging through posters,
leaflets and such other means, as may be desirable or required, to promote the
objectives of these Regulations.
n) The faculties/departments/units of the institution shall have induction
arrangements, including those which anticipate, identify and plan to meet any
special needs of any specific section of students, in place well in advance of the
beginning of the academic year with an aim to promote the objectives of this
Regulation.
o) Every institution shall engage or seek the assistance of professional
counsellors before the commencement of the academic session, to be available 9
when required by the institution, for the purposes of offering counselling to
freshers and to other students after the commencement of the academic year.
p) The head of the institution shall provide information to the local police and local
authorities, the details of every privately commercially managed hostels or
lodges used for residential purposes by students enrolled in the institution and
the head of the institution shall also ensure that the Anti-Ragging Squad shall
ensure vigil in such locations to prevent the occurrence of ragging therein.
6.2 An institution shall, on admission or enrolment or registration of students, take
the following steps, namely;
a) Every fresh student admitted to the institution shall be given a printed leaflet
detailing to whom he/she has to turn to for help and guidance for various
purposes including addresses and telephone numbers, so as to enable the
student to contact the concerned person at any time, if and when required, of
the Anti-Ragging Helpline referred to in these Regulations, Wardens, Head of the
institution, all members of the anti-ragging squads and committees, relevant
district and police authorities.
b) The institution, through the leaflet specified in clause (a) of Regulation 6.2 of
these Regulations shall explain to the freshers, the arrangements made for their
induction and orientation which promote efficient and effective means of
integrating them fully as students with those already admitted o the institution in
earlier years.
c) The leaflet specified in clause (a) of Regulation 6.2 of these Regulations shall
inform the freshers about their rights as bona fide students of the institution and
clearly instructing them that they should desist from doing anything, with or
against their will, even if ordered to by the seniors students, and that any
attempt of ragging shall be promptly reported to the Anti-ragging Squad or to
the Warden or to the Head of the institution, as the case may be.
d) The leaflet specified in clause (a) of Regulation 6.2 of these Regulations shall
contain a calendar of events and activities laid down by the institution to
facilitate and complement familiarization of freshers with the academic
environment of the institution. 10
e) The institution shall, on the arrival of senior students after the first week or after
the second week, as the case may be, schedule orientation programmes as
follows, namely; (i) joint sensitization programme and counselling of both
freshers and senior students by a professional counsellor, referred to in clause
(o) of Regulation 6.1 of these Regulations; (ii) joint orientation programme of
freshers and seniors to be addressed by the Head of the institution and the
anti -ragging committee;(iii) organization on a large scale of cultural, sports and
other activities to provide a platform for the freshers and seniors to interact in
the presence of faculty members ; (iv) in the hostel, the warden should address
all students; and may request two junior colleagues from the college faculty to
assist the warden by becoming resident tutors for a temporary duration.(v) as far
as possible faculty members should dine with the hostel residents in their
respective hostels to instil a feeling of confidence among the freshers.
f) The institution shall set up appropriate committees, including the course-incharge, student advisor, Wardens and some senior students as its members, to
actively monitor, promote and regulate healthy interaction between the freshers,
junior students and senior students.
g) Freshers or any other student(s), whether being victims, or witnesses, in any
incident of ragging, shall be encouraged to report such occurrence, and the
identity of such informants shall be protected and shall not be subject to any
adverse consequence only for the reason for having reported such incidents.
h) Each batch of freshers, on arrival at the institution, shall be divided into small
groups and each such group shall be assigned to a member of the faculty, who
shall interact individually with each member of the group every day for
ascertaining the problems or difficulties, if any, faced by the fresher in the
institution and shall extend necessary help to the fresher in overcoming the
same.
i) It shall be the responsibility of the member of the faculty assigned to the group
of freshers, to coordinate with the Wardens of the hostels and to make surprise
visits to the rooms in such hostels, where a member or members of the group
are lodged; and such member of faculty shall maintain a diary of his/her
interaction with the freshers under his/her charge. 11
j) Freshers shall be lodged, as far as may be, in a separate hostel block, and where
such facilities are not available, the institution shall ensure that access of seniors
to accommodation allotted to freshers is strictly monitored by wardens, security
guards and other staff of the institution.
k) A round the clock vigil against ragging in the hostel premises, in order to prevent
ragging in the hostels after the classes are over, shall be ensured by the
institution.
l) It shall be the responsibility of the parents/guardians of freshers to promptly
bring any instance of ragging to the notice of the Head of the Institution.
m) Every student studying in the institution and his/her parents/guardians shall
provide the specific affidavits required under clauses (d), (e) and (g) of
Regulation 6.1 of these Regulations at the time of admission or registration, as
the case may be, during each academic year.
n) Every institution shall obtain the affidavit from every student as referred to
above in clause (m) of Regulation 6.2 and maintain a proper record of the same
and to ensure its safe upkeep thereof, including maintaining the copies of the
affidavit in an electronic form, to be accessed easily when required either by the
Commission or any of the Councils or by the institution or by the affiliating
University or by any other person or organisation authorised to do so.
o) Every student at the time of his/her registration shall inform the institution about
his/her place of residence while pursuing the course of study, and in case the
student has not decided his/her place of residence or intends to change the
same, the details of his place of residence shall be provided immediately on
deciding the same; and specifically in regard to a private commercially managed
lodge or hostel where he/she has taken up residence.
p) The Head of the institution shall, on the basis of the information provided by the
student under clause (o) of Regulation 6.2, apportion sectors to be assigned to
members of the faculty, so that such member of faculty can maintain vigil and
report any incident of ragging outside the campus or en route while commuting
to the institution using any means of transportation of students, whether public
or private. 12
q) The Head of the institution shall, at the end of each academic year, send a letter
to the parents/guardians of the students who are completing their first year in
the institution, informing them about these Regulations and any law for the time
being in force prohibiting ragging and the punishments thereof as well as
punishments prescribed under the penal laws, and appealing to them to impress
upon their wards to desist from indulging in ragging on their return to the
institution at the beginning of the academic session next.
6.3 Every institution shall constitute the following bodies; namely,
a) Every institution shall constitute a Committee to be known as the Anti-Ragging
Committee to be nominated and headed by the Head of the institution, and
consisting of representatives of civil and police administration, local media, Non
Government Organizations involved in youth activities, representatives of faculty
members, representatives of parents, representatives of students belonging to
the freshers’ category as well as senior students, non-teaching staff; and shall
have a diverse mix of membership in terms of levels as well as gender.
b) It shall be the duty of the Anti-Ragging Committee to ensure compliance with the
provisions of these Regulations as well as the provisions of any law for the time
being in force concerning ragging; and also to monitor and oversee the
performance of the Anti-Ragging Squad in prevention of ragging in the
institution.
c) Every institution shall also constitute a smaller body to be known as the AntiRagging Squad to be nominated by the Head of the Institution with such
representation as may be considered necessary for maintaining vigil, oversight
and patrolling functions and shall remain mobile, alert and active at all times.
Provided that the Anti-Ragging Squad shall have representation of various
members of the campus community and shall have no outside representation.
d) It shall be the duty of the Anti-Ragging Squad to be called upon to make surprise
raids on hostels, and other places vulnerable to incidents of, and having the
potential of, ragging and shall be empowered to inspect such places.
e) It shall also be the duty of the Anti-Ragging Squad to conduct an on-the-spot
enquiry into any incident of ragging referred to it by the Head of the institution 13
or any member of the faculty or any member of the staff or any student or any
parent or guardian or any employee of a service provider or by any other person,
as the case may be; and the enquiry report along with recommendations shall be
submitted to the Anti-Ragging Committee for action under clause (a) of
Regulation 9.1.
Provided that the Anti-Ragging Squad shall conduct such enquiry
observing a fair and transparent procedure and the principles of natural justice
and after giving adequate opportunity to the student or students accused of
ragging and other witnesses to place before it the facts, documents and views
concerning the incident of ragging, and considering such other relevant
information as may be required.
f) Every institution shall, at the end of each academic year, in order to promote the
objectives of these Regulations, constitute a Mentoring Cell consisting of
students volunteering to be Mentors for freshers, in the succeeding academic
year; and there shall be as many levels or tiers of Mentors as the number of
batches in the institution, at the rate of one Mentor for six freshers and one
Mentor of a higher level for six Mentors of the lower level.
g) Every University shall constitute a body to be known as Monitoring Cell on
Ragging, which shall coordinate with the affiliated colleges and institutions under
the domain of the University to achieve the objectives of these Regulations; and
the Monitoring Cell shall call for reports from the Heads of institutions in regard
to the activities of the Anti-Ragging Committees, Anti – Ragging Squads, and the
Mentoring Cells at the institutions, and it shall also keep itself abreast of the
decisions of the District level Anti-Ragging Committee headed by the District
Magistrate.
h) The Monitoring Cell shall also review the efforts made by institutions to publicize
anti-ragging measures, soliciting of affidavits from parents/guardians and from
students, each academic year, to abstain from ragging activities or willingness to
be penalized for violations; and shall function as the prime mover for initiating
action on the part of the appropriate authorities of the university for amending
the Statutes or Ordinances or Bye-laws to facilitate the implementation of antiragging measures at the level of the institution.14
6.4 Every institution shall take the following other measures, namely;
a) Each hostel or a place where groups of students reside, forming part of
the institution, shall have a full-time Warden, to be appointed by the institution
as per the eligibility criteria laid down for the post reflecting both the command
and control aspects of maintaining discipline and preventing incidents of ragging
within the hostel, as well as the softer skills of counselling and communicating
with the youth outside the class-room situation; and who shall reside within the
hostel, or at the very least, in the close vicinity thereof.
b) The Warden shall be accessible at all hours and be available on telephone
and other modes of communication, and for the purpose the Warden shall be
provided with a mobile phone by the institution, the number of which shall be
publicised among all students residing in the hostel.
c) The institution shall review and suitably enhance the powers of Wardens;
and the security personnel posted in hostels shall be under the direct control of
the Warden and their performance shall be assessed by them.
d) The professional counsellors referred to under clause (o) of Regulation
6.1 of these Regulations shall, at the time of admission, counsel freshers and/or
any other student(s) desiring counselling, in order to prepare them for the life
ahead, particularly in regard to the life in hostels and to the extent possible, also
involve parents and teachers in the counselling sessions.
e) The institution shall undertake measures for extensive publicity against
ragging by means of audio-visual aids, counselling sessions, workshops, painting
and design competitions among students and such other measures, as it may
deem fit.
f) In order to enable a student or any person to communicate with the AntiRagging Helpline, every institution shall permit unrestricted access to mobile
phones and public phones in hostels and campuses, other than in class-rooms,
seminar halls, library, and in such other places that the institution may deem it
necessary to restrict the use of phones.
g) The faculty of the institution and its non-teaching staff, which includes
but is not limited to the administrative staff, contract employees, security guards 15
and employees of service providers providing services within the institution, shall
be sensitized towards the ills of ragging, its prevention and the consequences
thereof.
h) The institution shall obtain an undertaking from every employee of the
institution including all teaching and non-teaching members of staff, contract
labour employed in the premises either for running canteen or as watch and
ward staff or for cleaning or maintenance of the buildings/lawns and employees
of service providers providing services within the institution, that he/she would
report promptly any case of ragging which comes to his/her notice.
i) The institution shall make a provision in the service rules of its employees
for issuing certificates of appreciation to such members of the staff who report
incidents of ragging, which will form part of their service record.
j) The institution shall give necessary instructions to the employees of the
canteens and messing, whether that of the institution or that of a service
provider providing this service, or their employers, as the case may be, to keep a
strict vigil in the area of their work and to report the incidents of ragging to the
Head of the institution or members of the Anti-Ragging Squad or members of the
Anti-Ragging Committee or the Wardens, as may be required.
k) All Universities awarding a degree in education at any level, shall be
required to ensure that institutions imparting instruction in such courses or
conducting training programme for teachers include inputs relating to antiragging and the appreciation of the relevant human rights, as well as inputs on
topics regarding sensitization against corporal punishments and checking of
bullying amongst students, so that every teacher is equipped to handle at least
the rudiments of the counselling approach.
l) Discreet random surveys shall be conducted amongst the freshers every
fortnight during the first three months of the academic year to verify and crosscheck whether the institution is indeed free of ragging or not and for the purpose
the institution may design its own methodology of conducting such surveys.
m) The institution shall cause to have an entry, apart from those relating to
general conduct and behaviour, made in the Migration/Transfer Certificate issued
to the student while leaving the institution, as to whether the student has been 16
punished for committing or abetting an act of ragging, as also whether the
student has displayed persistent violent or aggressive behaviour or any
inclination to harm others, during his course of study in the institution.
n) Notwithstanding anything contained in these Regulations with regard to
obligations and responsibilities pertaining to the authorities or members of
bodies prescribed above, it shall be the general collective responsibility of all
levels and sections of authorities or functionaries including members of the
faculty and employees of the institution, whether regular or temporary, and
employees of service providers providing service within the institution, to prevent
or to act promptly against the occurrence of ragging or any incident of ragging
which comes to their notice.
o) The Heads of institutions affiliated to a University or a constituent of the
University, as the case may be, shall, during the first three months of an
academic year, submit a weekly report on the status of compliance with AntiRagging measures under these Regulations, and a monthly report on such status
thereafter, to the Vice-Chancellor of the University to which the institution is
affiliated to or recognized by.
p) The Vice Chancellor of each University, shall submit fortnightly reports of
the University, including those of the Monitoring Cell on Ragging in case of an
affiliating university, to the State Level Monitoring Cell.
7. Action to be taken by the Head of the institution.- On receipt of the
recommendation of the Anti Ragging Squad or on receipt of any information concerning
any reported incident of ragging, the Head of institution shall immediately determine if a
case under the penal laws is made out and if so, either on his own or through a member
of the Anti-Ragging Committee authorised by him in this behalf, proceed to file a First
Information Report (FIR), within twenty four hours of receipt of such information or
recommendation, with the police and local authorities, under the appropriate penal
provisions relating to one or more of the following, namely;
i. Abetment to ragging;
ii. Criminal conspiracy to rag;
iii. Unlawful assembly and rioting while ragging; 17
iv. Public nuisance created during ragging;
v. Violation of decency and morals through ragging;
vi. Injury to body, causing hurt or grievous hurt;
vii. Wrongful restraint;
viii. Wrongful confinement;
ix. Use of criminal force;
x. Assault as well as sexual offences or unnatural offences;
xi. Extortion;
xii. Criminal trespass;
xiii. Offences against property;
xiv. Criminal intimidation;
xv. Attempts to commit any or all of the above mentioned offences against
the victim(s);
xvi. Threat to commit any or all of the above mentioned offences against the
victim(s);
xvii. Physical or psychological humiliation;
xviii. All other offences following from the definition of “Ragging”.
Provided that the Head of the institution shall forthwith report the occurrence of
the incident of ragging to the District Level Anti-Ragging Committee and the Nodal
officer of the affiliating University, if the institution is an affiliated institution.
Provided further that the institution shall also continue with its own enquiry
initiated under clause 9 of these Regulations and other measures without waiting for
action on the part of the police/local authorities and such remedial action shall be
initiated and completed immediately and in no case later than a period of seven days of
the reported occurrence of the incident of ragging.
8. Duties and Responsibilities of the Commission and the Councils.-
8.1 The Commission shall, with regard to providing facilitating communication of
information regarding incidents of ragging in any institution, take the following steps,
namely; 18
a) The Commission shall establish, fund and operate, a toll-free Anti-Ragging
Helpline, operational round the clock, which could be accessed by students in
distress owing to ragging related incidents.
b) Any distress message received at the Anti-Ragging Helpline shall be
simultaneously relayed to the Head of the Institution, the Warden of the Hostels,
the Nodal Officer of the affiliating University, if the incident reported has taken
place in an institution affiliated to a University, the concerned District authorities
and if so required, the District Magistrate, and the Superintendent of Police, and
shall also be web enabled so as to be in the public domain simultaneously for the
media and citizens to access it.
c) The Head of the institution shall be obliged to act immediately in response to the
information received from the Anti-Ragging Helpline as at sub-clause (b) of this
clause.
d) The telephone numbers of the Anti-Ragging Helpline and all the important
functionaries in every institution, Heads of institutions, faculty members,
members of the anti-ragging committees and anti ragging squads, district and
sub-divisional authorities and state authorities, Wardens of hostels, and other
functionaries or authorities where relevant, shall be widely disseminated for
access or to seek help in emergencies.
e) The Commission shall maintain an appropriate data base to be created out of
affidavits, affirmed by each student and his/her parents/guardians and stored
electronically by the institution, either on its or through an agency to be
designated by it; and such database shall also function as a record of ragging
complaints received, and the status of the action taken thereon.
f) The Commission shall make available the database to a non-governmental
agency to be nominated by the Central Government, to build confidence in the
public and also to provide information of non compliance with these Regulations
to the Councils and to such bodies as may be authorised by the Commission or
by the Central Government.
8.2 The Commission shall take the following regulatory steps, namely; 19
a) The Commission shall make it mandatory for the institutions to incorporate in
their prospectus, the directions of the Central Government or the State Level
Monitoring Committee with regard to prohibition and consequences of ragging,
and that non-compliance with these Regulations and directions so provided, shall
be considered as lowering of academic standards by the institution, therefore
making it liable for appropriate action.
b) The Commission shall verify that the institutions strictly comply with the
requirement of getting the affidavits from the students and their
parents/guardians as envisaged under these Regulations.
c) The Commission shall include a specific condition in the Utilization Certificate, in
respect of any financial assistance or grants-in-aid to any institution under any of
the general or special schemes of the Commission, that the institution has
complied with the anti-ragging measures.
d) Any incident of ragging in an institution shall adversely affect its accreditation,
ranking or grading by NAAC or by any other authorised accreditation agencies
while assessing the institution for accreditation, ranking or grading purposes.
e) The Commission may accord priority in financial grants-in-aid to those
institutions, otherwise eligible to receive grants under section 12B of the Act,
which report a blemishless record in terms of there being no reported incident of
ragging.
f) The Commission shall constitute an Inter-Council Committee, consisting of
representatives of the various Councils, the Non-Governmental agency
responsible for monitoring the database maintained by the Commission under
clause (g) of Regulation 8.1 and such other bodies in higher education, to
coordinate and monitor the anti-ragging measures in institutions across the
country and to make recommendations from time to time; and shall meet at
least once in six months each year.
g) The Commission shall institute an Anti-Ragging Cell within the Commission as an
institutional mechanism to provide secretarial support for collection of
information and monitoring, and to coordinate with the State Level Monitoring
Cell and University level Committees for effective implementation of anti-ragging
measures, and the Cell shall also coordinate with the Non-Governmental agency 20
responsible for monitoring the database maintained by the Commission
appointed under clause (g) of Regulation 8.1.
9. Administrative action in the event of ragging.-
9.1 The institution shall punish a student found guilty of ragging after following the
procedure and in the manner prescribed hereinunder:
a) The Anti-Ragging Committee of the institution shall take an appropriate decision,
in regard to punishment or otherwise, depending on the facts of each incident of
ragging and nature and gravity of the incident of ragging established in the
recommendations of the Anti-Ragging Squad.
b) The Anti-Ragging Committee may, depending on the nature and gravity of the
guilt established by the Anti-Ragging Squad, award, to those found guilty, one or
more of the following punishments, namely;
i. Suspension from attending classes and academic privileges.
ii. Withholding/ withdrawing scholarship/ fellowship and other benefits.
iii. Debarring from appearing in any test/ examination or other evaluation
process.
iv. Withholding results.
v. Debarring from representing the institution in any regional, national or
international meet, tournament, youth festival, etc.
vi. Suspension/ expulsion from the hostel.
vii. Cancellation of admission.
viii. Rustication from the institution for period ranging from one to four
semesters.
ix. 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.
c) An appeal against the order of punishment by the Anti-Ragging Committee shall
lie,
i. in case of an order of an institution, affiliated to or constituent part, of a
University, to the Vice-Chancellor of the University; 21
ii. in case of an order of a University, to its Chancellor.
iii. in case of an institution of national importance created by an Act of
Parliament, to the Chairman or Chancellor of the institution, as the case
may be.
9.2 Where an institution, being constituent of, affiliated to or recognized by a
University, fails to comply with any of the provisions of these Regulations or fails to curb
ragging effectively, such University may take any one or more of the following actions,
namely;
i. Withdrawal of affiliation/recognition or other privileges conferred.
ii. Prohibiting such institution from presenting any student or students then
undergoing any programme of study therein for the award of any
degree/diploma of the University.
Provided that where an institution is prohibited from presenting its
student or students, the Commission shall make suitable arrangements for
the other students so as to ensure that such students are able to pursue
their academic studies.
iii. Withholding grants allocated to it by the university, if any
iv. Withholding any grants chanellised through the university to the
institution.
v. Any other appropriate penalty within the powers of the university.
9.3 Where in the opinion of the appointing authority, a lapse is attributable to any
member of the faulty or staff of the institution, in the matter of reporting or taking
prompt action to prevent an incident of ragging or who display an apathetic or
insensitive attitude towards complaints of ragging, or who fail to take timely steps,
whether required under these Regulations or otherwise, to prevent an incident or
incidents of ragging, then such authority shall initiate departmental disciplinary action, in
accordance with the prescribed procedure of the institution, against such member of the
faulty or staff.
Provided that where such lapse is attributable to the Head of the institution, the
authority designated to appoint such Head shall take such departmental disciplinary 22
action; and such action shall be without prejudice to any action that may be taken under
the penal laws for abetment of ragging for failure to take timely steps in the prevention
of ragging or punishing any student found guilty of ragging.
9.4 The Commission shall, in respect of any institution that fails to take adequate steps
to prevent ragging or fails to act in accordance with these Regulations or fails to punish
perpetrators or incidents of ragging suitably, take one of more of the following
measures, namely;
i. Withdrawal of declaration of fitness to receive grants under section 12B of
the Act.
ii. Withholding any grant allocated.
iii. Declaring the institution ineligible for consideration for any assistance
under any of the general or special assistance programmes of the
Commission.
iv. Informing the general public, including potential candidates for admission,
through a notice displayed prominently in the newspapers or other
suitable media and posted on the website of the Commission, declaring
that the institution does not possess the minimum academic standards.
v. Taking such other action within its powers as it may deem fit and impose
such other penalties as may be provided in the Act for such duration of
time as the institution complies with the provisions of these Regulations.
Provided that the action taken under this clause by the Commission against any
institution shall be shared with all Councils.
(Dr. R.K. Chauhan)
Secretary
To,
The Assistant Controller,
Publication Division, Govt. of India,
Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation,
Civil Lines Delhi -110 054 23
ANNEXURE I
AFFIDAVIT BY THE STUDENT
I, (full name of student with admission/registration/enrolment number)
s/o d/o Mr./Mrs./Ms. ___________________________________________ , having
been admitted to (name of the institution) , have
received a copy of the UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher
Educational Institutions, 2009, (hereinafter called the “Regulations”) carefully read and
fully understood the provisions contained in the said Regulations.
2) I have, in particular, perused clause 3 of the Regulations and am aware as to
what constitutes ragging.
3) I have also, in particular, perused clause 7 and clause 9.1 of the Regulations and
am fully aware of the penal and administrative action that is liable to be taken against
me in case I am found guilty of or abetting ragging, actively or passively, or being part
of a conspiracy to promote ragging.
4) I hereby solemnly aver and undertake that
a) I will not indulge in any behaviour or act that may be constituted as
ragging under clause 3 of the Regulations.
b) I will not participate in or abet or propagate through any act of
commission or omission that may be constituted as ragging under clause
3 of the Regulations.
5) I hereby affirm that, if found guilty of ragging, I am liable for punishment
according to clause 9.1 of the Regulations, without prejudice to any other criminal action
that may be taken against me under any penal law or any law for the time being in
force.
6) I hereby declare that I have not been expelled or debarred from admission in
any institution in the country on account of being found guilty of, abetting or being part
of a conspiracy to promote, ragging; and further affirm that, in case the declaration is
found to be untrue, I am aware that my admission is liable to be cancelled.
Declared this ___day of __________ month of ______year.
________________
Signature of deponent
Name:
VERIFICATION
Verified that the contents of this affidavit are true to the best of my knowledge and no
part of the affidavit is false and nothing has been concealed or misstated therein.
Verified at (place) on this the (day) of (month) , (year ) .
________________
Signature of deponent
Solemnly affirmed and signed in my presence on this the (day) of (month) ,
(year ) after reading the contents of this affidavit.
OATH COMMISSIONER 24
ANNEXURE II
AFFIDAVIT BY PARENT/GUARDIAN
I, Mr./Mrs./Ms. _____________________________________________________ (full
name of parent/guardian) father/mother/guardian of , (full name of student with
admission/registration/enrolment number) , having been admitted to
____(name of the institution) , have received a copy of the UGC
Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009,
(hereinafter called the “Regulations”), carefully read and fully understood the provisions
contained in the said Regulations.
2) I have, in particular, perused clause 3 of the Regulations and am aware as to
what constitutes ragging.
3) I have also, in particular, perused clause 7 and clause 9.1 of the Regulations and
am fully aware of the penal and administrative action that is liable to be taken against
my ward in case he/she is found guilty of or abetting ragging, actively or passively, or
being part of a conspiracy to promote ragging.
4) I hereby solemnly aver and undertake that
a) My ward will not indulge in any behaviour or act that may be constituted
as ragging under clause 3 of the Regulations.
b) My ward will not participate in or abet or propagate through any act of
commission or omission that may be constituted as ragging under clause
3 of the Regulations.
5) I hereby affirm that, if found guilty of ragging, my ward is liable for punishment
according to clause 9.1 of the Regulations, without prejudice to any other criminal action
that may be taken against my ward under any penal law or any law for the time being in
force.
6) I hereby declare that my ward has not been expelled or debarred from admission
in any institution in the country on account of being found guilty of, abetting or being
part of a conspiracy to promote, ragging; and further affirm that, in case the declaration
is found to be untrue, the admission of my ward is liable to be cancelled.
Declared this ___day of __________ month of ______year.
_____________________
Signature of deponent
Name:
Address:
Telephone/ Mobile No.:
VERIFICATION
Verified that the contents of this affidavit are true to the best of my knowledge and no
part of the affidavit is false and nothing has been concealed or misstated therein.
Verified at (place) on this the (day) of (month) , (year ) .
________________
Signature of deponent
Solemnly affirmed and signed in my presence on this the (day) of (month) ,
(year ) after reading the contents of this affidavit.
OATH COMMISSIONER
