Ragging, mental harassment: Centre seeks data on student suicides

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Centre is collecting data on student suicides and unnatural deaths linked to ragging and mental harassment as part of efforts to prepare an action plan to protect students. National Medical Commission Secretary Dr Raghav Langer has directed all medical colleges and medical institutions to immediately submit information and records related to student suicides and unnatural deaths. The University Grants Commission (UGC) is also collecting such information. Institutions have been directed to report such incidents promptly.

The move is aimed at ensuring the mental health and well-being of students and preventing suicides. Colleges will no longer be able to suppress student suicides linked to ragging and other forms of harassment.

Heads of institutions to submit monthly reports

Heads of institutions must certify and submit reports in a prescribed format to the Commission every month. The Commission will examine the reports and take further action where required.

All colleges must also submit annual reports on suicides and deaths to central regulatory bodies, including the UGC.

Details colleges must report

Colleges have been asked to provide details including:

• The circumstances that led to the suicide or death.
• The place where the incident occurred, whether the police were informed, whether an FIR was registered, the status of the investigation, and the corrective and preventive measures taken.
• Incidents that occurred outside the college and hostel.
• Measures taken by colleges to prevent ragging and violence.

No scope for collusion

The source also points to concerns over the handling of ragging complaints. Police are required to register non-bailable cases when complaints of ragging are received, but there are instances where they allegedly collude with the accused to protect them. In some cases, complaints of ragging are allegedly recorded as cases of assault instead. Political influence of the accused is cited as a reason for such action.

College authorities as well as the accused could face punishment if a complaint is ignored.

Ragging in higher educational institutions is described as a major threat and an important cause of deaths. The Supreme Court has made it clear that ragging should not be trivialised by describing it as an attempt at “breaking the ice” or “building relationships” between senior and junior students.

A state anti-ragging law, the Sidharthan Anti-Ragging and Student Welfare Act, is being introduced in Kerala in the name of Sidharth, who died following severe ragging at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode. A Sidharthan Student Distress App is also being introduced.

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data cited in the report, around 13,000 students died by suicide. Fear of failure in examinations is cited as the cause of 16 per cent of suicides.