UGC Regulations

As per the UGC Regulations 2009, 'Ragging' constitutes one or more of any of the following acts: (Published as it has been framed by the UGC)

• Any conduct by any student or students whether by words spoken or written or by an act with rudeness affecting a fresher or any other student.
• Indulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities by any student or students which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship, physical or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in any fresher or any other student.
• Asking any student to do any act which such student will not in the ordinary course do and which has the effect of causing in generating a sense of shame, or torment or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of such fresher or any other student.
• Any act by a senior that prevents, disrupts or disturbs the regular academic activity of any other student or a fresher.
• Exploiting the services of a fresher or any other student for completing the academic tasks assigned to an individual or a group of students.
• Any act of financial extortion or forceful expenditure burden put on a fresher or any other student.
• Any act of physical abuse including all variants of sexual abuse, homosexual assaults, stripping, forcing obscene and lewd acts, gestures, causing bodily harm or any other danger to health or person.
• Any act or abuse by spoken words which would also include deriving perverted pleasure, vicarious or sadistic thrill from actively or passively participating in the discomfiture of a fresher or any other student.
• Any act that affects the mental health and self-confidence of a fresher or any other student with or without intent to derive a sadistic pleasure or showing off power, authority or superiority by a student over any fresher or any other student.
• Discrimination, harassment, and offensive conduct against any person or student on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, creed, ancestry, familial status, age, disability, marital status, height, weight, sexual orientation or status through any mode of communication including but not limited to in person, in writing, through telephone, electronic mail or instant messaging.

Punishment

The UGC Regulations stipulate that a student can be expelled from an institute and debarred from taking admission in any other institute for a specified period after being found guilty of the offence. A student can be fined up to Rs. 2.5 Lakhs if found guilty of ragging.

Depending on the nature and gravity of the offence as established by the Anti-Ragging Committee, the possible punishments for those found guilty of ragging shall be any one or any combination of the following:

• Suspension from attending classes and academic privileges.
• Debarring from appearing in any test/examination or another evaluation process.
• Debarring from representing the institution in any regional, national or international meet, tournament, youth festival etc.
• Suspension/expulsion from the hostel.
• Cancellation of admission.
• Rustication from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution for a specified period.
• Fine ranging from Rs. 25,000/- to Rs. 2.5 Lakhs depending on the severity of the act.