Ragging and the Law

The Law is not an ass

You are a fresher getting ragged. What are your legal rights? Can you file an FIR? Do we especially need a law to prohibit ragging? Aren't the provisions of the Indian Penal Code already enough? What are the legal implications of the Supreme Court judgement against ragging? How many states have passed anti-ragging laws? What do they say? Have any convictions taken place for ragging? Such are the issues we will address on this page. We hope you will contibute to this page.


Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997

Full text: Andhra Pradesh Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997

Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998

Assam Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998

Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999

West Bengal Prohibition of Ragging in Educational Institutions Act, 2000

The Principal Vs. PS Anoop & ors, in the Kerala High Court, 2001
Using the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act 1998, the Principal of the College of Engineering, Trivandrum, suspended five students for physically assaulting a fresher in 2001. The students challenged their suspension in a lower court, which set it aside. The matter went to the Kerala High Court which upheld the Principal's decision, and set an important example in the state. Full text of the judgement.

Full text: The Supreme Court order against ragging
'If an institution fails to curb ragging, the UGC/Funding Agency may consider stoppage of financial assistance to such an Institution till such time as it achieves the same. An University may consider disaffiliating a college or institution failing to curb ragging.'

Ragging and the Indian Penal Code
There are thirteen provisions of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) which can be used by a fresher who is being ragged to register an FIR (First Information Report) in the police station under whose jurisdiction-area the crime has taken place.

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