Anti-ragging Policy

Definition:

Ragging, as defined u/s 3.3 of Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges/ Institutions Regulations, 2009, prescribed by medical council of India, is defined as Any conduct whether by words spoken or written or by an act which has the effect of harassing, teasing, treating or handling with rudeness any other student, indulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in a  fresher or a junior student or asking the students to do any act or perform something which such student will not in the ordinary course and which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of a fresher or a junior student. It is further amended vide Gazette of Government of India dated 28 March 2018 that “Any act of physical or mental abuse (including bullying and exclusion) targeted at another student (fresher or otherwise) on the ground of colour, race, religion, caste, ethnicity, gender (including transgender), sexual orientation, appearance, nationality, regional origins, linguistic identity, place of birth, place of residence or economic background.”

Objectives of Anti-ragging Policy:

a)      To educate existing students about the harmful effects of ragging and by informing fresh students of their rights.

b)      By prohibiting ragging in all forms.

c)      By thwarting the occurrence of ragging by following anti ragging measures.

d)     By providing exemplary punishment to those indulging in ragging, in keeping with Supreme Court orders that the punishment to be meted out has to be exemplary and justifiably harsh to act as a deterrent against recurrence of incidents of ragging.

e)      By sensitizing staff about their responsibility. Ragging cannot be prevented without the proactive involvement of the faculty.

f)       By ensuring the undertaking that there will be no "covering-up" of incidents for fear of adverse impact on the reputation of ACPM.

 Punishable act/s of Ragging:

Any of the following act or acts shall be treated as punishable act under the anti-ragging policy and will be dealt severely. As per law, the burden of proof is on the accused to prove that ragging did not occur, but not on the junior to prove that ragging occurred.

1) Harassment of new entrants, by varying forms of bullying, terrorizing, and sometimes physical torture of the new students.

2) Any disorderly conduct whether by words spoken or written

3) An act resulting the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness any other student, indulging in rowdy or in disciplined activities which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship or psychological harm or

3) Any act which result in to raise fear or apprehension thereof in a fresher or a junior student

4) Asking the students to do any act or perform something which such student will not do in the ordinary course and which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of a fresher or a junior student.

5) Any act of physical or mental abuse targeted at another student (fresher or otherwise) on the ground of colour, race, religion, caste, ethnicity, gender (including transgender), sexual orientation, appearance, nationality, regional origins, linguistic identity, place of birth, place of residence or economic background.

6) Wrongful restraint, confinement of the student and criminal intimidation

7) Any obscene act in any campus, or sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any campus.8) Criminal conspiracy to rag

8) Unlawful assembly and rioting while ragging

9) Public nuisance created during ragging

10) Violation of decency and morals through ragging

11) Injury to body, causing hurt or grievous hurt

12) Wrongful restraint

13) Wrongful confinement

14)Use of criminal force

15) Assault as well as sexual offences or even unnatural offences

16) Extortion

17) Criminal trespass

18) Offences against property

19) Criminal intimidation

20) Attempts to commit any or all of the above mentioned offences against the victim(s)

21)Physical or psychological humiliation

22) All other offences following from the definition of “Ragging”.

Punishment for Ragging:

The possible punishments for those found guilty of ragging shall be any one or any combinations of the following: -

(a)    Suspension from attending classes and academic privileges.

(b)   Withholding/withdrawing scholarship/ fellowship and other benefits.

(c)    Debarring from appearing in any test/ examination or other evaluation Process.

(d)   Withholding results

(e)    Debarring from representing the institution in any regional, national or international meet, tournament, youth festival, etc.

(f)    Suspension/ expulsion from the hostel

(g)   Cancellation of admission.

(h)   Rustication from the institution for period ranging from 1 to 4 semesters

(i)     Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution for a specific period.

(j)     Fine of Rs. 25,000/- and Rs. 1 lakh

(k)   Collective punishment: When the persons committing or abetting the crime of ragging are not identified, the institution shall resort to collective punishment.

Roles and Responsibilities of faculty and non-teaching staff

(a)    The Dean is responsible to ensure that no incident of ragging takes place.

(b)   He should ensure that staff members and senior students are sensitized to the fact that every employee and student shall be bound to immediately report to the Anti-Ragging Squad about an incident of ragging that has come to his notice. The report will also include the identity of those who have engaged in ragging and the nature of the incidence.

(c)    In case any incident of ragging takes place, he shall take prompt and appropriate action against the person (s) whose dereliction of duty lead to the incident.

(d)   Dean will publish, Medical Council of India (Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges/ Institutions) Regulations, 2009, [Annexure-I], Composition of Anti-Ragging Committee, Anti-Ragging Squad, Mentoring Cell and Fresher’s Welcoming Committee in College information book let for information.

(e)    In addition to penal consequences, he will initiate departmental enquiries against such members of the administration / faculty members / non-teaching staff, who display an apathetic or insensitive attitude towards complaints of ragging.