Notice to MP govt over Raghavan panel norms on ragging

Madhya Pradesh high court on Monday served notice on the state government through the chief secretary on a PIL seeking direction to the state to implement Raghavan committee recommendations and the Supreme Court directives to curb ragging in colleges particularly in private medical and dental colleges across the state.

The state has no provisions for punishment to control ragging in educational institutions.

There is a dire need to have a strict legislation to eradicate ragging having provisions to give severe punishment to those indulged in ragging in colleges, the petition demands.

The petition took ground on Anita Sharma suicide case. Sharma was studying in the second year of bachelor of pharmacy course in RKDF College, Bhopal.

Sharma committed suicide on August 7, 2013, allegedly for being subjected to ragging continuously for two consecutive years where the college authorities reportedly did not pay heed to her complaints and the ragging activities continued in the institution.

Shiv Kumar Sharma, an MBBS student from Indore, filed the petition with an aim to expose corrupt practices going on in private medical and dental colleges in the state.

The petitioner was denied seat for MBBS course in 2010 by the Index Medical College, Indore, allegedly for not paying “hefty” capitation fee and he has to take a legal battle to secure it.

The apex court has issued directives to all the states to curb ragging in the University of Kerala versus Council, Principals’ Colleges Kerala, case of 2009.

The Supreme Court directed the states to amend their existing anti-ragging measures to make it more stringent.

The Raghavan committee who may also coordinate with those of the Central government institutions located in the state in which the governor has a defined role under the relevant law.

Over the last 50 years, students are being subjected to ragging in the colleges running professional courses and the life is cut short even before the day of his or her flowering, petitioner’s counsel Aditya Sanghi said.

A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice KK Lahoti and justice Subhash Kakade heard the PIL.

Also, HC served notices on the Barkatullah University, Bhopal, the district collector Bhopal and the RKDF Medical College, Bhopal.