NEW DELHI: Expressing concern over the existing anti-ragging laws, the Kerala High Court on Wednesday emphasized the need for framing rules under the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998 to effectively tackle the menace.
The court observed that while the UGC has already issued detailed guidelines to curb ragging in colleges, the state might need to consider amending its existing laws.
It directed that a notice be sent to the UGC and scheduled the next hearing for March 19.
Notably, on Tuesday, the court announced plans to constitute a special bench to hear ragging cases in the state.
A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar, made this announcement while considering a PIL filed by the Kerala State Legal Service Authority (KeLSA) on the issue.
The High Court suggested that the state government form a working group comprising experts from different fields and invite public suggestions to draft new rules.
The working group should also examine whether amendments to the existing Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998, are required.
Highlighting the severity of ragging, the court stated that incidents involving brutality and violence are not just institutional concerns but societal issues, demanding a strong state intervention.
The discussion gains significance in light of recent ragging-related deaths and assaults in Kerala.
On February 18, Sidharthan, a second-year student at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, was found dead in his hostel after being tortured by seniors and batchmates.
Nineteen students have been charged with multiple offences, including abetment to suicide.
Similarly, last month, five senior students of a state-run nursing college in Kottayam were jailed for brutally ragging a junior student.
Several other ragging cases have also surfaced in recent months, raising serious concerns about student safety in Keralaโs educational institutions.
