The Hindu : Kerala News : Torture under the guise of ice-breaking peoplespeak

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Monday, Nov 12, 2007
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Kerala

Torture under the guise of ice-breaking peoplespeak

Incidents of ragging continue to be reported in Kerala, despite a range of measures put in place to end the menace. Some sections still seem to consider it as fun. How should society at large, and parents and academics in particular, engage with the issue?
Our readers respond:

Behavioural problem

Ragging is a behavioural problem — of both the victims and the perpetrators. The actions involved vary widely from simple teasing to sadistic orgies. It might be unwise and counterproductive, trying to tackle the problem through law enforcement tactics.

The need is to handle things authoritatively and firmly, yet with compassion, sensitivity and tact. All these are attributes expected of administrators and the teaching staff. It is their business to manage, motivate and groom an unruly student community towards civility.

Healthy fraternising via civilised interaction, which is the real aim of all forms of ragging, must be initiated and managed by the administrators.

Devraj Sambasivan

Alappuzha

Everybody’s business

Apparently, senior students consider ragging as a means to get respect and attention from their juniors. Whatever be the impetus behind this sadistic act, it should be curbed, ideally be taking recourse to law. Strict rules should be formulated and implemented. Keralite’s usual attitude of taking-things-lightly-till-we-are-affected should change. We must react to this menace, so that our children can learn without fear of humiliation, mental and physical ordeal. Timely reaction from parents, teachers and school or college management can control ragging to a large extent. Seniors would do well to keep this adage in mind – ‘respect can never be taken without giving it.’

Renu M.R.

Kottayam

Hunt for the reason

Before trying to find out a solution to ragging, why not analyse what motivates the seniors to mete out such unkind, unethical and immoral treatment to junior students. Is it to derive sadistic pleasure or as a relief from the dull monotony of their classroom sessions? Recurrence of the menace, as reported, clearly indicates that the measures so far taken are either ineffective or not implemented seriously. Suggestions include enactment of law by the government, its enforcement with dire punishment to those indulge in such inhuman activities and formation of anti-ragging committee and squad in every institution with the participation of teachers, parents, police and leaders of students’ union. The campuses should provide students enough scope for channelising their energies and emotions by organising debate forums, art groups, political discussions etc. If they engage in these social and cultural activities their attention can be diverted to creative thinking from violent instincts.

V. Viswanathan Nambiar

Thrissur

Violence of the times

Ragging has been there in the campuses for decades. But it rarely used to cross limits, beyond teasing and pranks played on the newcomers. It was never cruel, violent. Ragging incidents on campuses have such a negative impact on the freshers that many either abandon their education or end lives out of sheer humiliation. This type of ragging is only a manifestation of the violent mindset of today’s youth. Powerful student organisations, which could have worked as a bulwark against such atrocities, have long lost their moral rights to fight them because they themselves use methods of extreme violence against their campus opponents. This is not a law and order problem to be solved by police. Legislations for stringent punishments are needed. Committed groups of students without political affiliations, parents and college management, in close association with the police can put a halt to this menace. The culprits must not be allowed to pursue studies in the same institution. An intense awareness campaign among the students during the first few weeks of the academic year too will help.

K.V. Ravindran

Payyanur

Hostility in hostels

The concept of ragging is a boost the morale of a fresher to cope with his new environs. However, now ragging is a bane to campus culture. Though the Government have forbidden it legally, lack of political will in enforcement and absence of stringent punishment to erring students have rendered the law useless. Unethical campus politics too plays a part. A ragging victim would rarely lodge a complaint as the parents dissuade him from doing so for obvious reasons.

There are plenty of instances where students vacate hostels to stay with relatives or seek alternative facilities to escape the hostile situation at hostels. Hostels of government-run professional institutions take the cake in this aspect. Juniors who get ragged, torture their juniors the next year. Parents and teachers must guide the students to the right path. Law too must tighten its grasp.

R. Purushothaman Pillai

Alappuzha

Change in outlook

Stringent laws and punishment have yet not eliminated ragging from our campuses. It is therefore imperative that the outlook of students towards ragging as a means of fun needs to change. So, we need to shift the focus on to moral training for youngsters. Parents and teachers should show the way.

Angelin S Joseph

Thrissur

All talk, no action

Ragging has become a menace at the start of every academic year. And the hue and cry dies off in a couple of weeks. Neither the government nor the authorities have come up with a solid plan of action till date.

Earlier, ragging was a harmless procedure of professional courses, with the intent of grooming the students for future careers -- the idea being that the student’s attitude towards his future profession, colleagues and society has to change for the good. But all this theory looks good only on paper.

Ragging only serves to create a negative attitude towards the victim’s would-be colleagues. It merely succeeds in bringing out criminal tendencies.

The only way out is to monitor ragging with a firm hand with the help of a committee. Ragging, in the true spirit is not useless, but it is better, when used less.

A.M. Hareendranathan

Irinjalakuda

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