The Supreme Court today directed all state governments to constitute committees to look into the incidents of ragging and curb the menace. Passing a slew of directions to eradicate the menace from educational institutions across the country, a Bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat said every college should have a psychiatrist to provide counsel to the students.
In cases of alcoholism, educational institutions will have to take measures for de-addiction. All the state governments will give an undertaking to the court about the steps taken by them in accordance with the apex court directions to prevent incidents of ragging in educational institutions.
The apex court had on April 23 reserved its order on framing of further guidelines to curb the menace of ragging, and accepted the recommendation of the two-member panel that "active de-addictive measures should be introduced for college students if they are found to be indulging in these (alcoholism and violent) activities".
A high-level committee had probed the incident of ragging leading to the death of Aman Satya Kachroo, a first year MBBS student of Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMC), Tanda in Kangra District in March.
The Bench had termed as "shocking" the findings of the panel that alcoholism was the main reason leading to serious form of ragging and violence in the campus, which was evident in Aman's case.
The high-level committee had said alcoholism in the campus, failure of college to constitute anti-ragging squad and implement recommendations of Raghavan Committee, and "irresponsible" role of MCI, the regulatory body for medical colleges, were some of the reasons which culminated in the death of Amann due to ragging.
Welcoming the apex court's order, former CBI chairman M K Raghvan, who headed a committee set up to suggest measures to eradicate ragging from college campuses, hoped the directions would make all state governments take firm steps to check the menace from educational institutions.
The Supreme Court's order is "going to drive the state governments, schools and colleges to take some firm actions and all of us have a stake in the success of these measures," he said.
"I am really overwhelmed by the news that the Supreme Court has passed a specific and firm order and this shows its humane face and (there is) need to account the hard reality of what exists in our school and colleges," he said. Asked whether these measures were enough, he said, "It is not enough but this is a very first step and firm step towards making all schools and colleges free from ragging and addiction to liquor and drugs."
Raghvan Committee was appointed in December 2006 by the Union HRD ministry after the Supreme Court issued a directive to suggest and monitor measures to eliminate ragging in college campuses.
