Zero tolerance on university ragging only a dream?

On September 19, a fourth-year undergraduate student at Peradeniya University was reported missing. A week later, the body of this student was discovered from the Mahaweli River. The incident occured at a time when three students at the University Arts Faculty have been suspended following the recent ragging incident that went viral on social media. Following the incident the academic staff at the Faculty had decided to stop teaching until the students agree to their demands. However the university administration including the student union have been quick to dissociate the recent suicide from the ragging incident.

“We are willing to listen to their problems. I have received over 600 text messages and over 300 emails requesting me to ensure the safety of university students.. There can be no debate about ragging. There is only one side to it and that is to eliminate ragging. We are doing our best to minimize incidents of ragging before universities reopen in January..” 

The ragging sub-culture came about to break the class divides among students (with the introduction of the free education system)to ‘familiarize’ freshers to the university culture. Initially known as ‘Mal Samaya’, ragging transformed from something  harmless  to a more violent and brutal form of harassment that eventually claimed the lives of many university students. Those who agreed to the rag was known as a ‘podda’(d pronounced with ‘the’ sound) and if not they were called an ‘alaya’; but later ragging was fuelled by political elements to the point that it broke the spirits of freshers.  

A free place for all..

The recent incident took place when a group of students from the Arts Faculty stopped a group of students from the Law Faculty from having meals at the ‘gemba’ canteen. But the University administration has been clear about the fact that its students are allowed to utilize all facilities within the University premises. “All students have access to facilities and student bodies should allow it. The academic staff at the Arts Faculty has stopped teaching until they get a clear response from the students,” said Peradeniya University Vice Chancellor Prof. M. D Lamawansa. 

The student who committed suicide has been on treatment and he was seen by counsellors the day before the incident. The doctors haven’t identified any signs and Prof. Lamawansa says that ‘intelligent’ students can hide their emotions and that it is a ‘well-known phenomenon’. 

A majority of university students mainly come from underprivileged backgrounds with hopes to excel in their studies and eventually do a government job. But many don’t expect the additional stressors within the university system. Ragging is one of these stressors that has taken a toll on students’ mental and physical health. Identifying the need to provide assistance to students in distress, the Peradeniya University has established the Department of Psychology and Psychiatry to execute what they call  a ‘robust mechanism to provide psychological and counselling assistance to students.’ A mentoring programme has also been initiated so that students can have easy access to their teachers in addition to a helpline and a health centre as well. “Then there’s grief counselling and we have been able to prevent a number of suicides,” Prof. Lamawansa further said while adding that the university is a free place for all and that there are many programmes being initiated to ensure the students’ well-being. 

Collective intervention sought to eliminate ragging 

In 2020 the University Grants Commission (UGC) - the apex body of the University System launched an online ragging complaint portal to allow students to lodge their complaints. Here, students can either record a voice message or write about the incident and once received the UGC informs the respective university and its proctor as well. The Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act No. 20 of 1998 clearly mentions punishments and fines that can be imposed on students guilty of criminal intimidation, hostage taking, wrongful restraint and unlawful confinement. “It’s a non-bailable offence and Police cannot even bail out suspects and it has to be decided in courts,” said UGC Chairman Prof. Sampath Amaratunge. 

But the Ragging Act is rarely being used by law enforcement authorities to apprehend perpetrators. The Peradeniya Police for instance had reportedly bailed out the suspects of the recent incident. Without any punishments, some point out that they may either repeat what they are doing or take revenge from those who attempt to lodge a complaint. The juniors are said to be taught to say that they like listening to the seniors if they are being questioned and like that, there’s hardly any evidence against seniors as well. Seniors also teach juniors to not be afraid of academic staff. “Therefore this is an organized activity. The press should visit universities and observe whether the freshers are entitled to their human rights,” he continued. 

Authorities are keen to eliminate the ragging menace but they accept the fact that it is not a one-man’s job and that all institutions advocating for law and order in the country should rally together to end ragging in universities.

An assurance by the Government 

In addition to the Ragging Act, Commission Circular No. 919 includes guidelines that have been introduced to curb the ragging menace in universities while Commission Circular No. 946 reiterates about student discipline and the whole idea of freedom of students. Apart from the incident at Peradeniya University, several incidents of ragging have also been reported from the Vavuniya University and around six students have been identified and suspended and inquiries are underway. Ragging has resulted in student deaths, severe injuries, permanent disabilities and some students are mentally disturbed students for the rest of their lives. 

“The government will uphold international laws and no student whatsoever can use violence against another university student,” said Higher Education State Minister Dr. Suren Raghavan. “Violence is not a form of negotiation and we are willing to listen to their problems. I have received over 600 text messages and over 300 emails requesting me to ensure the safety of university students.”

However, some who have experienced ragging have various reasons to justify the act and in most instances it is open for debate. Some agree that it is a university sub-culture and that it should continue. Certain university teachers who have also experienced the rag, turn a blind eye on freshers who are likely to experience a worse experience than what the teachers would have experienced in an earlier batch. “There can be no debate about ragging. There is only one side to it and that is to eliminate ragging. We are doing our best to minimize incidents of ragging before universities reopen in January,” Dr. Raghavan underscored.  

Even though seniors may think that it’s ‘cool’ to rag a fresher, the trauma that the fresher is likely to experience for the rest of his or her life is certainly not cool.