Assam institutes keep freshers in separate hostels to prevent ragging

Silchar, Dec. 8 (IANS): In the wake of the Dibrugarh University ragging case, strict precautionary measures have been taken in various higher education institutions in Assam to check the harassment of freshers, including keeping the freshers in separate hostels.

Assam University authorities at Silchar have asked senior students to post bonds for not ragging. The authorities have issued a notice to the students to fill up a specified form online meant to give a surety for not doing any kind of ragging activity. Every student of the varsity has to fill the form and give a bond against ragging. If there is evidence of any involvement in any ragging case then strict action would be taken against that student, said an official of the university.

Silchar medical college and NIT Silchar authorities have arranged separate hostels for newly admitted students.

Dr. Babul Kumar Bejbaruah, principal of Silchar Medical College said that as a precautionary measure arrangements have been made to keep the new students of the MBBS course in separate hostels in the college. “In the newly constructed PG hostel, MBBS freshers are accommodated along with first-year students of PG level. After staying in this hostel for the entire first year, in the next year, they will be shifted to another hostel where senior students of the MBBS course are staying,” he said.

Incidentally, due to ragging in the Silchar medical college boys’ hostel last year, eight senior students were expelled for a specific period. An official of the medical college said that the experience of the past days has shown that problems arise when fresh students are kept in the same hostel with seniors.

Newbies are often subjected to ragging by seniors. So this time they have been kept in separate hostels for one year. Tight security has been arranged around this hostel. The members of the anti-ragging squad were conducting vigorous surveillance.

Meanwhile, Pranjit Burman, Dean of students’ welfare of NIT Silchar said that the new students will stay in separate hostels for one year. Later they will be shifted to another hostel along with senior students.

Burman further said that to prevent ragging on the campus, besides keeping the new students in separate hostels, the authorities are keeping a watchful eye.