Tuesday, January 19, 2010

GLAD RAGGINGS

GLAD RAGGINGS

Ragging in educational institutions is a phenomenon prevalent mainly in Commonwealth Countries. In India it has come to acquire menacing proportions, notwithstanding the exhortations, regulations or the law to curb it. Every now and then it raises its ugly head in the form of grave injuries, fatalities, even inducing suicides. None of the deterrents have achieved the goal of weeding it out completely.

It is time we take a positive approach to the situation. We must go to the roots of the problem and work out a solution which does not deprive senior students of pleasures and at the same time becomes a welcoming event rather than punishing introduction for the incoming batches. Ragging is indulged into by senior students who were victims of the same practice in the preceding years. Recall of their earlier experience gives rise to an irrepressible urge to take revenge. Seniors derive vicarious pleasure at the plight of juniors undergoing the treatment. It is handed over as legacy to the following batches year after year.

For once, let us not be tempted to take stringent measures that will stamp the evil out, once and for all. It would be wishful thinking. Instead, let us institutionalize ragging. Yes, it is the most unorthodox solution. Every institute prone to ragging should incorporate alternate induction program that will give an opportunity to seniors to exercise authority on new comers sans the element of torture. The program should be designed to generate excitement, pleasure and fun for all.

Let us call it GLAD RAGGINGS FESTIVAL.

Imagine, the institution assigning select dynamic faculty members and administrative cadres to oversee the Glad Raggings. This group will invite seniors to plan the festival with their creative inputs. These could include games like Treasure Hunt. Clues for the hunt will come from older students. Alien to the surroundings, the freshers will fumble and tumble before hitting the targets. Mimicry, singing and dancing can be encouraged. In short, the seniors will ‘rule over’ and make juniors ‘act’, BUT strictly under the eagle eyes of the faculty and staff.


Institutionalizing of ragging will transform it into an inclusive, benign and fun filled fiesta. We can even hope, it will erase the bad memories of often cruel and senseless ragging practices.