Eighteen medical colleges have been issued showcause notices by the University Grants Commission for failing to comply with anti-ragging norms, officials said on Thursday.
These include two each from Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry; three each from Andhra Pradesh and Bihar; and one each from Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
UGC Secretary Manish Joshi said that these colleges did not fulfill the requirements of the Anti-Ragging Regulations of 2009 aimed at curbing ragging. Specifically, these institutions failed to obtain the mandatory anti-ragging undertakings from students, as required under the regulations.
On January 28, the UGC had issued a circular to all higher educational institutions to implement strict anti-ragging mechanism in the campus. It threatened that failure on the part of any institution to take appropriate action against ragging or not punishment to those found guilty may result in action by the UGC.
In its directives, UGC has asked for setting up Anti-Ragging Committees and Squads, establishment of anti-ragging cells and the installation of CCTVs in important campus areas. Institutions are also expected to hold workshops, seminars on the subject and display anti-ragging posters prominently in places like libraries, canteens, hostels and admission centres. The complete set of regulations can be downloaded from the UGC websites- ugc.gov.in and antiragging.in.
The Anti-Ragging Regulations of 2009 also mandate that every student and parent must submit an anti-ragging undertaking at the time of admission and at the beginning of each academic year. Joshi pointed out that this undertaking is crucial in preventing incidents of ragging within educational institutions. The non-submission of these undertakings not only amounts to non-compliance but also puts the students in a vulnerable situation.
The remaining colleges are directed to furnish in writing, within a week, reasons for non-compliance and the corrective measures they propose to take. “Failure to reply satisfactorily within the stipulated period will lead to further action under the Anti-Ragging Regulations including imposition of penalties and other corrective measures,” Joshi warned.
