NHRC notice to state govt over ragging incident

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday issued a notice to the Telangana government, the Union Education Ministry, and the University Grants Commission (UGC) over the incident where a BBA-LLB first year student at a B-school in Hyderabad was allegedly ragged, brutally assaulted, and compelled to raise religious slogans by a group of students at the college hostel.
Referring to news reports, the NHRC said the victim approached the college management to inform them about the incident that allegedly took place on 1 November, but they did not react promptly. A case was registered by the police only on 11 November, 2022, based on a complaint sent by email by the victim. The Commission observed that the incident amounted to human rights violations against the victim due to sheer negligence, a lack of supervision, and the inherent failure of the college administration to ensure the safety and security of each and every student within the campus of IBS College. According to the NHRC, nothing appears to have changed despite the UGC Regulation on Combating Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, which was passed in 2009.
The Commission has further observed that if a slew of measures like regular interaction and counselling of the students to identify an early indication of ragging by holding surprise inspections at hostels, students’ accommodations, canteens, recreation rooms, toilets, etc. were implemented, this unwarranted incident of ragging may have been prevented.
Accordingly, the Commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary of Telangana calling for a report within six weeks in the matter.
It should include an action taken report, along with the reasons for the prima facie failure of the institution to take adequate steps to prevent ragging in accordance with the UGC regulation, and the steps taken or proposed to be taken to punish the perpetrators of the incident of ragging, its abettors and sympathizers by attracting punitive action under the UGC Act. He has also been asked to explain whether the victim has been suspended by the college and if yes, in what circumstances.
A notice has also been issued to the Director General of Police, Telangana, regarding the status of the criminal case registered against all the assailants and teaching/ non-teaching staff of the college concerned as reported in the news report.
Further, a notice has been sent to the Secretary, the Union Ministry of Education as well as the Secretary, UGC to submit reports regarding the effective implementation of the recommendations of the Raghavan Committee on “The Menace of Ragging in Educational Institutions and Measures to curb it”, affirmed by the Supreme Court of India for educational institutions across the country.