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The menace of ragging.
Ragging (literally 'to tease') was originally supposed to be a set of activities undertaken by the seniors to break the ice with the juniors who have been suddenly thrown into a new environment. But now it seems to have evolved into something totally violent and a means for the seniors to take out their frustrations on the freshers. This has become a national disease. In the last one year: in Orissa, students were asked embarassing questions, and any answer was responded with a slap; In MP, hostel students were pulled out in the middle of the night and beaten up. There have been 11 deaths and 10 suicide attempts in the last 7 years because of ragging in India.
One of the main problems with ragging in India, is that its severity is not understood. 9 in 10 people you meet on the street would defend ragging, calling it as necessary social interaction. The problem is in the definitions. If ragging is just interaction (in which both sides contribute), its perfectly fine. But if bullying is called ragging - as it is today - it is plain wrong. A clear distinction must be made between ragging and bullying. When ragging becomes bullying, it crosses all lines of decency. Also contrary to popular belief, ragging rarely leads to a close knit hostel life and paves way for enimosity among the students.
One of the main problems with ragging in India, is that its severity is not understood. 9 in 10 people you meet on the street would defend ragging, calling it as necessary social interaction. The problem is in the definitions. If ragging is just interaction (in which both sides contribute), its perfectly fine. But if bullying is called ragging - as it is today - it is plain wrong. A clear distinction must be made between ragging and bullying. When ragging becomes bullying, it crosses all lines of decency. Also contrary to popular belief, ragging rarely leads to a close knit hostel life and paves way for enimosity among the students.
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