Anti-ragging bodies told to be proactive
SC Panel Asks Them To Take Zero-Tolerance Approach
New Delhi: The Supreme Court-appointed R K Raghvan Committee to monitor ragging in colleges has severely criticized regulatory bodies like the University Grants Commission, All India Council for Technical Education and Medical Council of India for failing to regulate anti-ragging measures.
Speaking to TOI after a threehour meeting on Wednesday, Raghvan said, The committee is not exactly happy with the regulatory bodies. Instead of taking suo motu interest in implementing anti-ragging steps, they are acting more like a post office.
Raghvan pointed out, In the US, every university declares the kind of crime taking place on the campus. It should be done in India also so that parents know how crime-free the campus is.
Underlining various reasons for the lacklustre performance of the regulatory bodies, Raghavan said, Apart from having little machinery, regulatory bodies have become too close to educational organizations. They believe in tokenism. But I have told them in no uncertain terms to be proactive. He said the regulatory bodies should tell the colleges to adopt a zero tolerance approach towards ragging.
At the meeting, the committee told UGC to ensure that release of grants under various schemes is linked with compliance by institutions with the directions of the Supreme Court on ragging. On the other hand, institutions where no ragging takes place should be provided incentives. The committee told regulatory bodies that the SC is solidly behind them and therefore no effort should be spared to put an end to the menace.
The panel also asked the regulatory bodies to ensure that wherever an incident of ragging is reported and the institution does not take adequate steps for redressing the grievance, the bodies should conduct an inquiry.
The HRD ministry has also been asked to come out with advertisements in the next few weeks as the admission season has begun. There is no halfway house. The advertisements should make it clear that those who indulge in ragging would be thrown out of their institution. Parents of students should know it now.
Govt to crack whip on private colleges making false claims
Govt to crack whip on private colleges making false claims
New Delhi: Perturbed over the
spate of advertisements by private educational institutes trying to lure students during the admission session, the HRD ministry will ask UGC and AICTE to take strict action against those making false claims, from foreign tie-ups to deemed university status. This could see the UGC and AICTE coming up with a list of fake institutes. AICTE could be asked to make its regulations for entry of foreign institutes into the country stricter. UGC may be asked to make provisions to grant deemed status stricter. HRD minister Arjun Singh had on Monday called a meeting of ministry officials and regulatory bodies and expressed his reservations with the way many institutes claim to have clearance from UGC and AICTE and tieups with foreign universities. TNN