From rxpgnews.com
Apex court approves stringent anti-ragging measures
By IANS,
May 16, 2007 - 3:51:13 PM
New Delhi, May 16 - The Supreme Court Wednesday directed educational institutions across the country to take a slew of stringent anti-ragging measures, including lodging criminal cases against erring students at the police stations.
A bench of Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice H.S. Kapadia directed the educational institutions as well as the Union and state governments to take anti-ragging measures, while approving recommendations of the government-appointed committee, headed by former CBI director R.K Raghvan.
The committee had recommended that the failure on the part of the institutions in filing the First Information Report should be construed as negligence on the part of the institutions, for which the government can consider stopping financial aide to it.
Approving elimination of ragging in educational institutions through exemplary and harsh punishment, the bench said that in the cases where a victim or his guardian is not satisfied with the action taken against ragging, an FIR must be filed by the institution.
The bench also approved committee's recommendation for stern penalties including expulsion of students accused of ragging.
The bench also approved establishment of state-level anti-ragging committees all over the country.
It said that every educational institution must mention in its prospectus that admission of a student would be liable to be cancelled for ragging his fellow students or juniours.
The bench also asked the National Council for Educational Research and Training - to include in their text books of relevant subjects like social or civic studies a chapter on ragging under a sub-heading of human rights violation.
Taking note of the Raghavan committee finding about low conviction rate in ragging cases, the apex court asked courts to promptly take cognisance of the ragging cases and expedite its hearing.
The bench also approved the committee suggestion for induction of a programme for the freshers with the help of senior students under faculty guidance and faculty training to check incidents of ragging.
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