YES

Make a point

While ragging has been banned by the government and bullying is discouraged in school premises, students do still bully others. If the school catches a bully, he or she should be suspended and made to realise his or her mistake. The student must be given counseling and encouraged to admit their mistake in front of the whole school so that the others understand the consequences of bullying.

Mayank Baid Class X, The Heritage School, Calcutta

Draw the line

Students should be taught not to get carried away in the name of humour, power and popularity and that all actions have consequences. Also, exemplary punishments send out the message that bullying will not be tolerated and that no one can get away with it.

Piyush Nawalgaria CA Intermediate student, Calcutta

Negative impact

Ragging or bullying has no positive impact whatever on the person being bullied or his or her relationship with the perpetrator, contrary to what certain people believe. The students who bully, do it for their own entertainment without realising its impact on others. Bullying could have a serious mental impact on the victim, could annihilate his or her confidence, it could even be a matter of life and death.

Ananyaa Agarwal Class XII, Sushila Birla Girls’ School, Calcutta

Only way to stop

Students should be severely punished for bullying as they are playing with someone’s emotional and mental health. There is no reason to condone it. That is the only way to stop this scourge.

Anubhav Agarwal Class IX, St. Xavier’s Collegiate School, Calcutta

NO

Victim of circumstances

Students who rag or bully others are also students. They may have become bullies either by choice or circumstance but they’re still young. They can still be taught the right path. But if they are subjected to exemplary punishment, they will feel ostracized from society. This will just bolster their negative attitude and they will continue bullying. I believe that only empathetic and friendly dialogue will help them return to the right path.

Shomili Mukherjee Class VIII, GD Birla Centre for Education, Calcutta