ALL INDIA COUNCIL FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION, New Delhi
NOTIFICATION
Dated 01-07-2009
Sub:Prevention and prohibition of Ragging in technical Institutions, Universities including Deemed to be Universities imparting technical education.
F.No.37-3/Legal/AICTE/2009 – In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 23 read with Section 10 (b), (g), (p) and (q) of AICTE Act, 1987, the All India Council for Technical Education, hereby makes the following Regulations:-
1. Short title and commencement:-
(i) These Regulations may be called the All India Council for Technical Education (Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Technical Institutions, Universities including Deemed to be Universities imparting technical education) Regulations 2009.
(ii) They shall come into force on the date of the notification.
2. Objectives:-In view of the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in SLP No. 24295 of 2006 dated 16-05-2007 and in Civil Appeal number 887 of 2009, dated 08-05-2009 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 undisciplined 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 All India Council for Technical Education,(AICTE) brings forth these Regulations.
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 undisciplined 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, posts, 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.
5. Measures for prevention of ragging:-
It shall be mandatory for every technical Institution, University, deemed to be University imparting technical education to take following measures for prevention of ragging at such institutions.
1. The advertisement issued for admission by a technical institution, University including Deemed to be University concerned and/or the admission authority/ affiliating University/State Govt./UT/Central Govt. as the case may be, shall clearly mention that ragging is totally banned and anyone found guilty of ragging and/or abetting ragging is liable to be punished.
2. The ‘Prospectus’ and other admission related documents shall contain directions of the Supreme Court Affiliating University/admission Authority/State Govt/Central Govt. shall make it mandatory for the institutions under their jurisdiction to compulsorily incorporate such information in their ‘Prospectus’. These Regulations shall be printed in the brochure of admission/instruction booklet for candidates.
3. The application form for admission/enrolment shall have a printed affidavit, preferably both in English and Hindi and/or in one of the regional languages. The affidavit should be filled up and signed by the candidate to the effect that he/she is aware of the law regarding prohibition of ragging as well as the punishments, and that he/she, if found guilty of the offence of ragging and/or abetting ragging, is liable to be punished appropriately.
4.The application form shall also contain a printed affidavit, preferably both in English and Hindi and/or in one of the regional languages and the affidavit should be signed by the parent/guardian of the applicant to the effect that he/she is also aware of the law in this regard and agrees to abide by the punishment meted out to his/her ward in case the latter is found guilty of ragging and/or abetting ragging.
5.The application for admission shall be accompanied by a document along with the School Leaving Certificate/Character Certificate which shall include a report on the behavioral patter of the applicant, so that the institution can thereafter keep intense watch upon the student who has a negative entry in this regard.
6.A student seeking admission to the hostel shall have to submit another affidavit along with his/her application for hostel accommodation that he/she is also aware of the law in this regard and agrees to abide by the punishments meted out if he/she is found guilty of ragging and/or abetting ragging.
7.Every technical institution, University including Deemed to be University imparting technical education shall maintain a proper record of the affidavits obtained to ensure its safe up keep thereof,including digital copies of the affidavits and such digital copy should be made available to the AICTE or to an Agency identified/nominated by AICTE.
8.The AICTE or an Agency identified/nominated for the purpose and affiliating Universities and Directorate of Technical Education of the concerned State Govt./UT shall maintain an appropriate data base of the affidavits in the digital form obtained from every student at the time of admission to the technical institutions, Universities including Deemed to be Universities imparting technical education.
9. Each batch of freshers should be divided into small groups and each such group shall be assigned to a member of staff. Such staff member should interact individually with each member of the group on daily basis to ascertain the problems/difficulties, if any faced by the freshers in the Institution and extend necessary help.
10.Incase of freshers admitted to a Hostel it shall be the responsibility of the teacher incharge of the group to co-ordinate with the warden of the Hostel and to make surprise visits to the rooms in the hostel where the members of the group are lodged. Freshers should be lodged in a separate hostel block wherever possible and where such facilities are not available, the college/institution shall ensure that seniors’ access to freshers’ accommodation is strictly monitored by wardens, Security Guards and Staff.
11. Every institution should engage or seek the assistance of professional counselors at the time of admissions to counsel ‘freshers’ in order to prepare them for the life ahead, particularly for adjusting to the life in hostels. At the commencement of the academic session the Head of the technical Institution, University including Deemed to be University imparting technical education shall convene and address a meeting of various functionaries/agencies, like Wardens, representatives of students, parents/guardians, faculty, district administration including police, to discuss the measures to be taken to prevent ragging and steps to be taken to identify the offenders and punish them suitably.
12. Every fresher admitted to the technical Institution, University including Deemed to be University imparting technical education shall be given a printed information booklet detailing when and whom he/she has to turn to for help and guidance for various purposes (including Wardens, Head of the institution, members of the anti–ragging committee, relevant district and police authorities), addresses and telephone numbers of such persons/authorities, etc.
13.The technical institutions, University including Deemed to be University imparting technical education through the information booklet mentioned above shall explain to the new entrants the arrangements for their induction and orientation which promote efficient and effective means of integrating them fully as students.
14.The information booklet mentioned above shall also tell the freshers about their rights as bona fide students and clearly instructing them that they should desist from doing anything against their will even if ordered by the seniors, and that they have nothing to fear as the institution cares for them and shall not tolerate any atrocities against them.
15.The information booklet mentioned above shall contain a calendar of events and activities laid down by the institution to facilitate and complement familiarization of juniors with the academic environment of the institution.
16. 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, big posters (preferably with different colors for the provisions of law, punishments, etc.) shall be prominently displayed on all Notice Boards of all departments, hostels and other buildings as well as at vulnerable places Some of such posters shall be of permanent nature in certain vulnerable places.
17. The technical Institution, University including Deemed to be University imparting technical education shall request the media to give adequate publicity to the law prohibiting ragging and the negative aspects of ragging and the institutions ‘s resolve to ban ragging and punish those found guilty without fear or favor.
18. The technical Institution, University including Deemed to be University imparting technical education shall identify, properly illuminate and man all vulnerable locations.
19.The technical Institution, University including Deemed to be University imparting technical education shall tighten security in its premises, especially at the vulnerable places. If necessary, intense policing shall be resorted to at such points at odd hours during the early months of the academic session.
20.The technical Institution, University including Deemed to be University imparting technical education shall utilize the vacation period before the start of the new academic year to launch wide publicity campaign against ragging through posters, information booklets, seminars, street plays, etc.
21. The faculties/departments/units of the technical Institution, University including Deemed to be University imparting technical education 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 a clear sense of the main aims and objectives of the induction process.
22. Mobile Phones and other communication devices may be permitted in residential areas including hostels to provide access to the students particularly freshers, to reach out for help from teachers, parents and Institution authorities.