IIT-Kanpur steps up campaign against ragging on campus

KANPUR: To instill confidence among new students, the IIT-Kanpur administration has put up boards on the campus with anti-ragging messages.
The display boards bearing messages like ‘We are ragging-free campus' and 'No Ragging', also have phone numbers of dean of student affairs (DoSA), associate deans, head, counselling service, president of Students' Gymkhana, chairperson of students senate and security office.
According to IIT-Kanpur authorities, the campus is ragging-free but helpline numbers have been provided so that the students can contact the officials concerned in times of emergency.
Head, counselling service, Prof Nandini Neelakantan told TOI that the orientation programme of the new students was on and they had been apprised what constitutes ragging and what they should do in case of emergency.
The students have been informed that IIT-K has an anti-ragging squad and phone numbers of some of the squad members have been displayed in front of each hostel. In addition to this, anti-ragging squads at hostel level are also active.
Senior students have been advised not to engage in any activity with first year students and be polite to them.
Similarly, the first year students have also been asked to be friendly with their seniors and interact with them and report any activity to the authorities which is demeaning to them.
The new students have submitted an undertaking signed by their parents as per the provisions of anti-ragging verdict of the Supreme Court. This undertaking is valid till a student stays at the institute.
According to the undertaking, the students are liable to face disciplinary action/legal proceedings, including explusion, if they resort to ragging and are found guilty.
A senior professor associated with counselling claimed that senior students at IIT-K did not rag juniors but assist them in settling down on the campus. “The students are aware about the consequences of ragging, and therefore, do not indulge in any such act, risking their career. Still, an eye is kept on senior students,” he added.
“Senior students provide books and notes to juniors and inform them about the rules and regulations of the campus. They also take juniors for picnics or movies and act prudently all the time,” he added.