Kerala HC directs government to frame rules to prevent ragging
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to frame rules under the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998, to ensure the effective implementation of anti-ragging norms in the state.
A special bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice C Jayachandran issued the directive while considering a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA), seeking the court’s intervention in the wake of increasing ragging incidents reported at educational institutions.
During the hearing, the KeLSA counsel presented existing statutes under the Prohibition of Ragging Act and the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, along with various Kerala High Court judgments and government circulars aimed at preventing ragging in educational institutions.
After reviewing the legislation, the court observed that provisions against ragging already exist in Kerala. However, the KeLSA counsel stressed the need for effective implementation of these laws and court directives. The counsel further recommended the establishment of district and state-level monitoring mechanisms and suggested amendments to the Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998, to strengthen its provisions.
The court noted that framing rules under the Prohibition of Ragging Act would help establish clear guidelines for its implementation. It suggested forming a working committee to make recommendations to the state government on drafting rules, incorporating inputs from relevant stakeholders. The committee could also examine potential amendments to the 1998 Act. The High Court directed that the UGC should be made a party to the case and instructed the state government to submit a report on the status of district anti-ragging committees and the state-level monitoring cell. The report must confirm whether these bodies have been constituted, detail their activities if they exist, and, if not, specify the time frame required for their formation. The court warned that if the government fails to set a timeline, it will impose one.
Additionally, the court sought information from the secretary of the higher education department regarding the functioning of anti-ragging committees in educational institutions. C L Anto, whose daughter died due to ragging in 1998, attempted to make submissions during the hearing. The court directed him to file a plea to be included in the case. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on March 13.
The High Court’s directive comes in the backdrop of major ragging incidents in Kerala that have sparked widespread outrage.
The most recent case that shook the state was the death of Sidharthan, a second-year student at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Pookode, Wayanad. On 18 February last year, he was found dead in the hostel after being allegedly tortured by his seniors and batchmates. Investigations revealed extreme physical and mental abuse, leading to the registration of cases against 19 students under multiple charges, including abetment to suicide and ragging.
Similarly, in February 2024, five senior students of the state-run Nursing College in Kottayam were sent to jail for brutally ragging a junior, exposing another disturbing case of campus violence.
Another shocking case was that of Mihir, a teenage boy who became a victim of extreme ragging. The 15-year-old school student who was found dead was subjected to relentless bullying and harassment by a group of peers. There have been many other incidents also.
