Kerala HC calls state’s anti-ragging measures ‘insufficient’
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Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday expressed concern over the existing anti-ragging laws, stating that the present measures under the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998, are insufficient and require the formulation of specific rules to effectively combat the menace.
The court noted that while the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued detailed guidelines to prevent ragging in colleges, the state should consider reviewing its legislation to introduce necessary changes. It directed that a notice be sent to the UGC and scheduled the next hearing for March 19.
On Tuesday, the court had announced its intention to constitute a special bench dedicated to handling ragging cases in the state. The decision was made by a division bench, headed by Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Kerala State Legal Service Authority (KeLSA) seeking stringent measures against ragging.
The High Court suggested that the state form a working group comprising experts from various disciplines and seek public suggestions to frame effective rules. The group should also evaluate whether amendments to the existing law are necessary, it added.
The court emphasized that when ragging leads to violence, it becomes a matter of public concern. “Once there is brutality and violence in ragging, it does not remain the concern of an individual student or institution but shocks the conscience of society. Therefore, the state has a major role in ensuring a robust prevention mechanism,” the court observed.
The urgency of stricter anti-ragging measures comes in the wake of two shocking cases that recently made headlines in Kerala. On February 18, 2024, Sidharthan, a second-year student at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Pookode, Wayanad, was found dead in his hostel after being allegedly tortured by his seniors and batch mates. Nineteen students have been charged with multiple offences, including abetment to suicide and ragging.
Similarly, last month, five senior students of the state-run Nursing College in Kottayam were jailed for brutally ragging a junior student. Several other ragging incidents have also been reported across the state, raising alarm over the need for stricter enforcement of laws.
With IANS inputs