Incidents of ragging decreasing due to efforts of Govt.: Irani

Union Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Smriti Irani on Wednesday said that incidents of ragging in educational institutes are on the decrease due to the 'relentless' efforts of the government.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Irani informed the members of the various measures taken to prevent and combat ragging, including the notification of the Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009 by the University Grants Commission (UGC); the creation of a toll-free anti-ragging helpline; publicity on anti-ragging given via various media; and the mandatory online submission of undertaking on anti-ragging by parents and student.

Irani further said that the Anti-ragging Monitoring Committee, appointed by the Supreme Court, meets regularly, and informed the House of an anti-ragging cell at the UGC for the exclusive monitoring of ragging cases.

She also informed the members of the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational institutions) Regulations, 2012, which instructs educational institutes to safeguard the interests of the students without any prejudice to their caste creed religion, language, ethnicity, gender and disability; eliminate discrimination of any student by prohibiting it and by providing for preventive and protective measures to facilitate its eradication; and promote equality among students of all sections of the society.