Ready To Enforce Stringent Regulations On Ragging In Higher Educational Institutions Through Govt Resolution: AG Informs Gujarat High Court

The AG, Mr. Trivedi also informed the Court that so far these regulations have been framed by the medical council, AICT, UGC concerned - and all these regulations are very exhaustive.

"We may put across a resolution citing all these regulations, conveying all. These are applicable across the State to all the institutions, whether technical education, higher education, (or) medical education," AG Trivedi submitted.

The matter was listed before the division bench comprising Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha P. Mayee.

In January of last year, the High Court initiated this suo motu PIL addressing the issue of the 'Ragging Menace' in educational institutions within the state of Gujarat.

This PIL was recommended by a sitting Judge of the Gujarat High Court following a news report in a local bulletin that highlighted a recent incident of ragging at a private medical college in the Vadodara district, Gujarat.

According to the news report, a medical student's father filed a complaint on December 27 after his son, who was suffering from depression after being ragged, had left home with the intention of committing suicide. The student was eventually rescued from a railway station. The report indicated that the first-year resident doctor had accused two senior resident doctors of public abuse, extortion, and forcing him to work as if he were a bonded laborer.

This incident marked the second reported case of alleged ragging in the state, with a previous incident occurring at another private medical college. In the earlier case, authorities had suspended two seniors for three semesters and another for two semesters.

In her order on Tuesday, Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal verbally directing the order stated, “In the affidavits filed on behalf of respondent 3 and 4, the copies of regulations framed by UGC, medical council of India took curb the menace of ragging in higher educational institutions / medical institutions have been brought on record.

It is submitted by the Learned Advocate General appearing for the state respondents that the state is ready to notify these regulations to all higher educational institutions across the state for strict observance by issuance of govt resolution imposing accountability on the officers of the institution in case of any violation, it added.

The matter is now scheduled for the next hearing on 22.02.2024.