In a bid to curb the menace of ragging in medical colleges, the Medical Council of India (MCI) has asked the medical colleges to resort to intense policing at the vulnerable places during the early months of academic session.
Those found guilty shall be entitled for expulsion from the institutions and consequent debarring from admission to any other institutions for a specific period.
The new rules circulated by the MCI say that a provision should be made in the service rules of the employees for issuing certificates of appreciation to the staff who report ragging. This will form part of their service record.
It is also made mandatory for the medical colleges to get an undertaking from candidate and his/her parents that they are aware of the law in this regard and agrees to abide by the punishment meted out to his/her ward in case the latter is found guilty of ragging.
The freshers will also be punished suitably in case they do not report the incidents of ragging either as victims or as witnesses.
To reduce the dependence of freshers on their seniors, the MCI has asked that every fresher admitted to the medical college/institutions shall be given a printed leaflet detailing when and to whom to turn for help and guidance.
“This is to make sure that fresher need not look up to the seniors for help and get indebted to them and start doing things right or wrong, at their behest,” said the rules.
The MCI has also asked the colleges to form anti-ragging committees and an anti-ragging squad. The squad shall have oversight and patrolling functions. A University monitoring cell at the level of university has also been recommended.
This cell should call for reports from the health of the institutions in regard to the activities of anti-ragging committee, anti ragging squads, monitoring cells at the level of the institution.
According to the new ragging rules, the principal or health of the institutions/department shall obtain an undertaking from every employee of the institution including teaching and non-teaching members of staff, contract labour employed in the premises that he/she would report promptly any case of ragging which comes to their notice.
As per the rules, a full time warden shall be appointed, they shall be accessible at all hours and shall be provided with the mobile phones. The new rules say that freshers should be lodged in a separate hostel block and institutions shall ensure that seniors’ access to freshers’ accommodation is strictly monitored by wardens, security guards and college staff.
“A round the clock vigil against ragging in the hostel premises shall be provided. Private commercially managed lodges and hostels shall be registered with the local police authorities,” it added.
The migrations/transfer certificate issued to the students shall also have an entry, apart from those relating to general conduct and behaviour, whether the student has been punished for the offence of committing or abetting ragging.