New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed educational institutions to put down ragging with an iron hand by compulsorily registering cases against delinquent students. "The punishment has to be exemplary and justifiably harsh to act as a deterrent against recurrence of such incidents."

A Bench consisting of Justices Arijit Pasayat and S.H. Kapadia passed this order, accepting the bulk of the R.K. Raghavan Committee recommendations. The panel was appointed to suggest measures to curb ragging.

Government assurance

Additional Solicitor-General Gopal Subramaniam assured the court that the directions would be complied forthwith. Several States said they had implemented the J.M. Lyngdoh Committee recommendations on college elections and the results were tremendous.

The Bench said that on "every single incident of ragging, where the victim or his parent/guardian or the head of the institution is not satisfied with the institutional arrangement for action, a first information report must be filed compulsorily by the institutional authority with the local police."

Any failure or deliberate delay in doing so would render the negligence culpable.

"Every victim or his parent/guardian can also file an FIR directly with the police, but failure on the part of the victim to do so should not justify the delay, or neglect or failure on the part of the institutional authorities."

Surprise raids

The Bench directed every educational institution to appoint an anti-ragging committee/squad to maintain vigil and undertake patrolling. The squad must make surprise raids on hostels and other hot spots, and it should be empowered to inspect places of potential ragging. Preventing or acting against ragging should be a collective responsibility at all levels, including the teaching faculty and non-teaching employees, and not merely that of the body specifically constituted for the purpose.

"In case of any incident, all the sections must coordinate with the sense of moral propriety and share responsibility and accountability."

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