University Grants Commission (UGC) has advised all colleges and universities to strengthen anti-ragging mechanisms in advance of the start of the new semester at the colleges. The UGC has requested that certain preventive steps be taken, ranging from the installation of CCTV cameras on college property to the creation of an anti-ragging cell.
The UGC has mandated that colleges establish an anti-ragging committee, anti-ragging squad, anti-ragging cell, and CCTV cameras at all key campus locations. Additionally, UGC has requested that the colleges hold anti-ragging training, anti-ragging workshops and seminar' updating all websites with nodal officers complete details, alarm bells etc.
In the official notification UGC mentioned,
- Institutes are requested to have regular interaction and counselling with the students, identification of trouble triggers and mention of Anti-Ragging warnings in the institution's E-prospectus and E-information booklets/brochures must be ensured.
- Surprise inspection of hostels, students, accommodation, canteens, rest cum recreational rooms, toilets, and bus stands must be carried out.
- Anti-Ragging posters must be displayed at all prominent places like the Admission centre, Departments, Library, canteen, Hostel, Common facilities etc. These posters are available on the UGC website. The size of the posters should be 8x6 feet. Any other measure which would augur well in preventing/quelling ragging and any uncalled-for behaviour/incident must be undertaken.
Additionally, UGC has also informed that students in distress due to ragging-related incidents can call the National Anti-Ragging Helpline lgoo-180-5522 {24x7 Toll-Free) or e-mail the Anti-Ragging Helpline at helplin@antiragqins.in. For any other information regarding ragging you may please visit the UGC website i.e. www'uqc'ac'in & ,",rww.antiragging.in and contact UGC monitoring agency i.e. centre for Youth (c4Y) on Mobile No' O9818044577 (only in case of emergency).
According to the UGC, the National Anti-Ragging Helpline must receive an online undertaking from both the student and the parent at the start of each academic year.
The higher education authority has further linked it to admissions by demanding that higher education institutions (HEIs) include an obligatory part in their admission forms where students must include the reference number of the anti-ragging pledge they have supplied.