Ragging has raised its ugly head again. A recent incident at a prestigious school has shown that this evil has not yet come to an end. Write an article in 150 – 200 words on ‘Ragging, an Evil’. You are Navtej/Navita
Ragging an Evil
by Navita
Ragging is an old and cruel practice, prevalent since the British era. Although, initially, it was limited to English colleges and universities eventually, it spread to Indian educational system as well.
The original aim of this practice was to teach the juniors to respect the social hierarchy existing in schools, colleges and universities. Soon, it became a way to enforce unnecessary traditions and discipline them.
It’s always someone in power, such as a prefect or an authoritative senior who likes to dominate. They do not think twice before misusing their authority. As a result, juniors and freshers are made to perform humiliating acts, which can be suggestive sexual, sarcastic and even physically and mentally traumatising for the victim.
In extreme cases of severe ragging, the victim either commits suicide or gets killed.
There are laws to punish the perpetrators. However, sometimes that’s not enough. Young students must communicate to their parents, college councellors or anti-ragging squad any life threatening issues they are facing at school/colleges.
Schools and colleges must appoint trained counsellors, who can empathise with students and understand their problems.
Above all, students and parents must be made aware of the ills of ragging and how it affects the victims and their families, only then ragging can be prevented.
Example 2
Ragging is an evil heirloom, left over from the British era when it was practised in English colleges and Universities to teach the social hierarchy and instills important values since it was believed that the students were lacking in such knowledge due to their immaturity. Unfortunately, these practices gradually became prevalent in educational institutions.
The history of the best educational institutions in India is blackened with traumatic cases of brutal ragging, especially in Engineering and Medical Colleges. Ragging was practiced to enforce traditions and discipline freshers into respecting their seniors and the academic hierarchy at such institutions. In a school, ‘Prefect’ is considered to be a teacher’s substitute. However, that does not mean that he/she can misuse his/her authority and indulge in the abuse of power, which happened in a recent case at a prestigious school.
Schools are centres of learning and wholesome development, but when power equations within the student, displaying its vulgar aspect, it can lead to fatalities such as continued mental trauma or even death. The solution is to sensitive students and bring awareness to stop the harmful practice of ragging. In order to have able-bodied and healthy-minded future citizens of India, we need to eradicate such practices.