Anti-Ragging Policy

1. Purpose of the Anti-Ragging Policy

The purpose of this policy is to maintain a healthy academic environment in which students can learn, communicate and participate in college activities without fear, intimidation or harassment.

• To prevent ragging within and around the college campus.
• To protect students from harassment, humiliation and intimidation.
• To promote mutual respect and responsible student behaviour.
• To encourage students to report incidents without unnecessary fear.
• To establish appropriate procedures for addressing complaints and incidents.

2. What is Ragging?

Ragging generally refers to any act, behaviour, communication or activity involving a student that causes or is likely to cause physical, psychological, emotional or academic harm, humiliation, fear, embarrassment or distress.

Ragging may occur in person, online, through social media, messaging platforms, telephone communication or through any other means.

3. Activities Prohibited Under This Policy

The following types of conduct are strictly prohibited:

• Physical assault, pushing, hitting or any other form of physical intimidation.
• Verbal abuse, insulting, threatening or humiliating another student.
• Forcing a student to perform embarrassing, degrading or inappropriate activities.
• Using abusive, offensive or threatening language against students.
• Forcing students to provide money, possessions or services.
• Preventing or interfering with a student's normal academic activities.
• Harassing students through telephone calls, messages, social media or online platforms.
• Recording, photographing or sharing humiliating content involving another student.
• Encouraging, assisting, supporting or concealing an act of ragging.
• Any other conduct prohibited under applicable laws, regulations or institutional rules.

4. Physical Ragging

Any form of physical violence, assault, intimidation or coercion against a student is strictly prohibited.

Students must not force, push, hit, restrain, threaten or otherwise physically intimidate another student.

Any incident involving immediate danger to a student's safety should be reported to college authorities immediately.

5. Mental & Emotional Harassment

Ragging may also involve psychological or emotional harassment.

• Public humiliation.
• Threatening or intimidating students.
• Deliberately isolating or excluding a student as a form of punishment or intimidation.
• Making offensive comments regarding a student's appearance, background or personal circumstances.
• Forcing a student to undertake degrading or humiliating activities.

6. Online & Digital Ragging

Ragging and harassment are not limited to the physical campus.

Any online activity intended to threaten, humiliate, intimidate, embarrass or harass another student may be treated as a serious violation.

• Harassing messages or calls.
• Threatening messages through social media.
• Sharing humiliating photographs or videos.
• Creating offensive or abusive online content targeting another student.
• Misusing digital platforms to intimidate or threaten students.

7. Responsibilities of Students

Every student has a responsibility to contribute to a safe and respectful campus environment.

• Treat fellow students with dignity and respect.
• Do not participate in or encourage ragging.
• Do not support or conceal incidents of ragging.
• Report serious incidents or concerns to the appropriate college authority.
• Cooperate with the college during any investigation or disciplinary process.

8. Responsibility of Senior Students

Senior students are expected to act responsibly and help create a welcoming environment for new students.

Seniority must never be used as a reason to intimidate, control, threaten or humiliate junior students.

9. Reporting an Incident

Any student who experiences, witnesses or becomes aware of an incident of ragging is encouraged to report the matter to the college authorities as soon as reasonably possible.

A complaint may include relevant details such as the nature of the incident, date, location, persons involved and any available supporting information.

10. Handling of Complaints

Complaints and reports may be reviewed by the appropriate college authority or designated committee in accordance with applicable institutional procedures.

The college will make reasonable efforts to handle complaints responsibly and maintain appropriate confidentiality, subject to legal, safety and procedural requirements.

11. Disciplinary Action

Where an allegation of ragging is established following appropriate review or disciplinary proceedings, action may be taken in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, college rules and institutional procedures.

Depending on the nature and seriousness of the conduct, consequences may include appropriate disciplinary measures under the applicable framework.

• Warning or disciplinary notice.
• Counselling or corrective measures where appropriate.
• Restriction from specified college activities where applicable.
• Suspension or other institutional disciplinary measures where appropriate.
• Referral to appropriate authorities where required by law or circumstances.

12. Preventive Measures

The college may undertake reasonable measures to promote awareness and prevent ragging.

• Awareness programmes for students.
• Communication of anti-ragging expectations.
• Orientation and student awareness activities.
• Monitoring of areas and activities where appropriate.
• Encouragement of responsible reporting.
• Appropriate action on complaints and incidents.

13. Role of Parents & Guardians

Parents and guardians are encouraged to discuss student safety, respectful behaviour and the importance of maintaining a ragging-free educational environment.

Parents or guardians who become aware of a serious concern involving ragging are encouraged to communicate with the college promptly.

14. Student Safety & Support

Lovely College of Higher Education is committed to promoting an environment where students can study, participate in activities and interact with one another in a safe and respectful atmosphere.

Students are encouraged to seek help whenever they feel threatened, harassed, intimidated or unsafe.

15. Compliance with Applicable Rules

This policy is intended to support a safe and disciplined educational environment and should be read together with applicable laws, regulatory requirements, university or institutional requirements and college rules relating to student conduct and prevention of ragging.

Where applicable, the college may update its procedures to reflect changes in relevant regulatory or institutional requirements.

16. Policy Review & Updates

Lovely College of Higher Education may review and update this Anti-Ragging Policy from time to time.

Updates may be made to improve student safety, strengthen preventive measures, reflect changes in applicable requirements or improve college procedures.