A Study On The Laws Related To Ragging In Universities In Sri Lanka

APRIL 1, 2021

Introduction

Ragging has not been a traditional event in Sri Lanka. It is an act that came into being during the colonial era. The concept was started when soldiers who fought in the Second World War returned to universities and continued the practice of ragging that they encountered at military camps. In military camps this is used to help soldiers succeed as a team but to fail individually. Following this tradition, civil students at universities still conduct the act of ragging. At the same instances ragging can be used as a mode of humor and a way to have fun; but, in the current context ragging has been used for students to let go of their frustration and cause harm and pain to others.

What is “Ragging”?

Ragging can be defined as the verbal, physical or psychological abuse that newly enrolled students undergo when entering universities in Sri Lanka. It is considered as a mechanism used to welcome new students or freshmen to universities by the immediate or very senior students of the university.

Consequences of Ragging

There are several outcomes when it comes to ragging. As it can be mental, physical or verbal the outcomes differ. As the capacity of tolerance of every person differs from one to another, the outcome of ragging too differs. At most, the toughest people often ignore the effects of ragging and are left tougher than ever before. It’s often those without a very strong level of tolerance and who are mentally vulnerable that succumb to the horrors of ragging. As these students are mentally vulnerable they indirectly allow others to take advantage of them and they do not often know that they are being victimized. Those who are mentally, physically and verbally abused would become afraid of their own shadow or decide to take out their frustration from their juniors or in worst case, the society and become misfits. They have a lack of self-esteem and self-respect. The physical abuse would often entail students to take part in rigorous physical punishments which are conducted in the most inhumane manner. These forms of ragging may result in students having various forms of anxiety, living in denial, shutting down mentally that could even lead up to death of some students.

Other than these consequences, ragging also often results in students leaving state universities without completing their education or even refraining from entering a state university. This would ultimately count as a huge loss to the government as well as the country as the government has spent a large amount of money to provide free education to these students who have worked hard and sacrificed a lot to gain university entrance and would have to ultimately leave university without completing their degree. When such a person enters the job market they often find themselves unemployed as most jobs require their employees to have a minimum qualification of a basic degree. Also students who have often qualified to read for a, for example a medical degree, if subjected to ragging and finds it unbearable and leaves university, would sometimes enter a private university and there this student would have to read for a degree of lesser importance than what he or she had qualified for.

In some universities there are faculties with movements known as “Anti-Ragging”. Often these students are shunned by other students of the university and they are assigned separate places an-d cornered by others.

Example: in the university of Peradeniya, students who are part of the Anti-Ragging movement are assigned a separate canteen and are called “Ala” in sinhala (අල – අතහරින ලදී) meaning left alone. 

Purpose of Ragging

The ultimate purpose of ragging in universities in Sri Lanka according to the “raggers”, is to form a bond between the newly enrolled students and their seniors. In local university language this is called forming a “batch fit”. This act is also conducted to lessen the gap between the “rich” and the “poor” students who enter university. By ragging every freshmen or newcomer they hope to give the message that in this university “everyone is equal” and that there are no exceptions.

A survey was conducted among students of universities past and present, in order to get their views and ideas on this topic. A participant stated that most of this ragging is done by these raggers because, “they know they are nothing outside the campus.” This shows that ragging is conducted as a form of self satisfaction as well.

Students who rag others are victims of abuse. They have been in situations where they were once vulnerable. Either being victims of ragging themselves or having an abusive childhood. Due to such situations they develop an inferiority complex once they enter university and they manifest this through violence.

Alternatives to Ragging

As per the results of the survey several alternatives mentioned by the participants are found below.

* Having Socials ( Get-togethers)

* Parties, excursions, clubs and societies

* Talent shows

* Team building sessions

* Conducting special programs for new students which require voluntary participation

* Organizing sports events

* Organizing camps, workshops and leadership development projects.

* Having an English course for the first few months of university.

* Introducing subjects like communication skills which is interactive.

However, some students stated that there was no need for alternatives but the only solution was to eliminate ragging from universities.

Why do we Need Alternatives?

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