The Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KeLSA) has moved a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Kerala High Court, demanding the immediate intervention of the court to curb the rising incidence of ragging in educational institutions across the state. The petition talks about a series of brutal incidents, including the one at the Government Nursing College, Kottayam, where junior students were allegedly subjected to severe physical abuse by their seniors.
KeLSA, a statutory body providing free legal aid for citizens, has sought the formation of state and district-level anti-ragging monitoring committees to oversee the enforcement of anti-ragging laws. The petition states that, despite laws like the Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998 (Kerala) and the UGC Regulations, 2009, there has been “a systemic failure in the implementation of preventive measures”.
The PIL mentions lists some of the brutal cases that came to light recently, including the case at the Government Nursing College in Kottayam last month, where junior students were allegedly tied to a cot and then injured with a divider and compass; the incident at Government College, Karyavattom, where a first-year student was allegedly detained and assaulted by a group of seniors; and the one in a private college in Kozhikode, where a first-year student was attacked allegedly for wearing sunglasses on the college’s arts day.
KeLSA argues that ragging is “a deeply entrenched social menace” that continues to plague educational institutions, often leading to severe psychological, emotional, and physical harm. KeLSA has also questioned the status of the Cell for Anti-Ragging Efforts (CARE), which was mandated by the High Court in 2000, but appears to be non-functional.
"The failure of the respondents to take concrete steps in constituting a structured monitoring system, despite clear directives from this honourable court, has necessitated the petitioner’s approach for judicial intervention," the petition states. The Kerala government, Higher Education Department, AICTE, Bar Council of Kerala, and others have been named as respondents.
The PIL also seeks regular compliance reports from educational institutions, the establishment of grievance redressal cells, and a confidential reporting system, including a 24x7 toll-free helpline for victims. The High Court is expected to take up the matter soon.