Anti-Ragging Policy

Ragging in any form is strictly prohibited within the premises of IIT Palakkad.

Any instance of ragging would attract severe punishment of cancellation of admission, suspension, rustication or expulsion from the Institute /Hostel.

Apart from the institute level punishment, there will be strong police and legal action. Ragging is a cognizable offence under the law of the land, and the Supreme Court has ruled that the punishment to be meted out has to be exemplary and harsh to act as a deterrent. According to relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), those found guilty for a ragging related offence can be punished with imprisonment or fine or both. The quantum of punishment varies with the gravity of the crime. For example, Section 323, which deals with the cases of voluntarily causing hurt can lead to imprisonment up to one year or fine or both; Section 306, which deals with abetment to suicide, specifies the punishment to be imprisonment up to ten years with or without fine. Some other relevant sections of IPC in this context include Section 341 (wrongful restraint), Section 506 (criminal intimidation), Section 302 (murder), Section 307 (attempt to murder), etc.

What is ragging? Anything that may cause a fresher physical or mental discomfort due to an act of a senior. More specifically,

• Physical abuse, for example, forcing to eat, drink or smoke, forcing to dress or undress.
• Verbal abuse, for example swear words and phrases, direct or indirect derogatory references to the person’s appearance, attire, religion, caste, family or chosen field of study.
• Forced activity, for example
  • Chores for seniors, e.g., copying notes, cleaning rooms, etc.
  • Attending extra-curricular events to cheer hostel teams.
  • Missing classes; not allowing to study.
  • Staying awake late or getting up at unreasonable times.
  • Singing or dancing or performing in any other way.
  • Using foul language or shouting or cheering loudly.
  • Misbehaving with strangers, particularly women.
  • Reading or browsing pornographic/objectionable material
  • Lifestyle restrictions, for example
    • Not allowing certain kinds of clothing or accessories, e.g. jeans, belts, etc.
    • Enforcing rules regarding shaving or oiling hair; forcing certain kinds of dresses.
    • Restricting access to parts of the hostel, e.g., common room.
    • Requiring certain modes of address, e.g., seniors should be called Sir or Ma’am.
    • Requiring a particular waking time.
• Conversational mind-games: Particular forms of interaction in which a senior or set of seniors manipulates the conversation so as to humiliate the first year student or make him/her feel stupid or insecure or generally threatened.

Any interaction between freshers and seniors where the seniors are friendly, welcoming and non-aggressive is encouraged. Seniors may solicit participation in clubs and other activities by announcing promotional events at well designated times and places. However, no fresher should be forced to attend. Participation by freshers can only be voluntary. Seniors are requested to maintain self-imposed discipline and restraint. In particular, they should be careful about:

• Any “interaction” outside public areas.
• Visiting freshers’ rooms during the interaction period, or inviting freshers to their rooms.
• Forcing freshers to sing, dance or perform in any way under the guise of “talent search” or “interaction”.

The Supreme Court of India has observed that enrollment in academic pursuits or a campus life should not immunize any adult citizen from the penal provisions of the laws of the land. According to the directions of the Supreme Court if any instance of ragging is brought to the notice of the administration or the faculty, it is legally binding on us to report the matter to the local police.

Please contact members of the Anti-ragging committees or Anti-ragging squads to report any instance of ragging. If you want to leave an anonymous note about ragging that you have witnessed or experienced, please do so at any one of the drop-boxes available in the Academic Block, Hostel and Hostel Mess.

– Chairperson & Members, Anti-ragging Committee & Squad of IIT Palakkad