The Hindu : National : Working on helpline for ragging victims: Centre

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Working on helpline for ragging victims: Centre

Legal Correspondent

Amann’s father suggested creation of an anti-ragging database: Centre
Government plans to put in place the mechanism in about a week

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development has began work on developing a model for the crisis-centre helpline to enable ragging victims across the country to seek immediate help.

Amicus curiae and Additional Solicitor-General (ASG) Gopal Subramaniam gave this information before a Bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and A.K. Ganguly hearing petitions relating to cases of ragging in Dr. Rajendra Prasad government Medical College, Himachal Pradesh, and College of Agricultural Engineering, Bapatla, in Andhra Pradesh.

The two cases were referred to the R.K. Raghavan Committee, which submitted its report to the court. The ASG said the recent incidents of ragging — one in Coimbatore and the other in Goa — had also been referred to the Committee for probe.

The ASG, in his status report, referred to the Raghavan Committee’s findings and said the father of Amann Kachroo had sent a proposal to the government on creating an anti-ragging database.

Mr. Gopal Subramaniam said: “Amann’s father [Dr. Rajendra Kachroo] suggested creation of a database of students and ragging complaints, which will ensure effective monitoring and prevention of ragging. This methodology also involves setting up a crisis-centre hotline, wherein students affected by ragging can call for help.”

The ASG said that “the Ministry of HRD has already commenced work on developing a model for the crisis-centre helpline and the anti-ragging database. The Ministry has sought the assistance of Educational Consultants India Ltd. as a consultant in this project.” He said the government proposed to put in place the mechanism in about a week.

Mr. Gopal Subramaniam said the Ministry, in consultation with the UGC, the MCI, the AICTE and other similar regulatory bodies should set up a central crisis-hotline and anti-ragging database in the manner suggested by Dr. Rajendra Kachroo to the Raghavan Committee and the UGC. “Once the database/crisis hotline is operative, State governments should amend their anti-ragging statutes to include provisions that place penal consequences on institutional heads who do not take timely steps in the prevention of ragging and in punishing those who resort to ragging. .”

Alcoholism

The Raghavan Committee, in its report on the death of Amann, said alcoholism on the campus, failure of college to constitute an anti-ragging squad and implement the recommendations to prevent ragging were the reasons for the incident. It also blamed the MCI for not taking immediate action to put down the menace.

The court posted the matter for Thursday asking the Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh governments to file their response to the report.

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