Ragging, or bullying, is the act of intimidating, belittling and humiliating another person. It's sad that this practice remains so rampant in our education system today, despite the technological and cognitive leaps our society has made over the last few decades. Despite this progress, the graphs are clearly on the rise today. I, for one, strongly condemn students and others who engage in destroying people. It must be said that the effects of ragging are long term and deep-seated, causing confusion and pain through the course of the victim's life.
The victims
As a college student, I was not exempt from the phenomenon. I had to deal with my fair share of ragging and the memories of this remain fresh in my mind. They are, of course, most unpleasant. That particular event changed the way I saw myself, I began to perceive myself as someone lacking and perhaps not even worthy of respect. Looking back, I could call it a turning point in my life and it is one of the major reasons why I am a strong advocate against issues of this nature even today.
Speak up!
The victims of bullying and ragging should never, ever, keep the pain to themselves - these incidents need to be reported to teachers, parents or authority figures, no matter how daunting this prospect may seem at the time to a terrified youngster who has just been through a traumatic experience. Students should recognise that solutions can be sought only when the mishap has been reported to a third party. This certainly isn't the time to lose hope, but taking the leap and reporting it is crucial.
As a professor and as a social worker, I have met a number of students and friends who have been victims of bullying at different stages in their lives. The consequences of these experiences continue to play out on their socio-cultural and psychological processes. When ragging takes place, it is done to make the victim feel low, unworthy and unwanted. In my opinion, the media is to blame for much of this. The manner in which the fourth estate has portrayed success and beauty, defined what is accepted and what is not in terms of behaviour and interpersonal relationships, has had a huge influence on the way we perceive each other.
This has had tragic consequences. If a boy wears pink, he is ridiculed for being homosexual or effete, for instance. Isn't it unfair, really, that a person is forced to behave, dress and live not in the way they choose but in the manner that is expected of them? We should learn to understand, hackneyed though this sounds, that every person is unique in more ways than we can understand and a mindset of tolerance needs to be cultivated within us all.
Myths
One myth continues to pervade and prolong this ghastly tradition: That ragging is a form of initiation, a process of creating a camaraderie between two individuals. Those who agree with this point of view must realise that demeaning another person is no way to strike up a friendship! It is important that values like tolerance and respect are inculcated in schools and colleges.
Strong policies must be put in place at institutions and strict action taken against perpetrators. Institutionally, colleges should condemn any sort of ragging and students must be made aware of the policy as well as the fact that it is a criminal offence. Strict action taken at the right levels will send the message that ragging must not be tolerated in any situation. Institutions should also offer courses on life skills and moral values. These programmes need to be inculcated into the curriculum with credits awarded to participants. A student monitoring committee that closely observes student behaviour could be instrumental in preventing bullying and ensuring that everybody is treated equally.
Parents, take note
Parents, being another major stakeholder of any institution should be provided with regular sessions on how to deal with teenagers as they progress. They need to be taught ways to monitor their children's behaviour, pick up on signs that they may be harassed and to help kids open up at home. They are responsible for everything that occurs in their children's lives and should be accessible to them at all times. As the child enters college, he or she is exposed to a whole new culture and lifestyle. If he or she is not taught how to adjust to the changes, this transition could be potentially dangerous.
Technology and the media have played a crucial role in influencing individual thoughts as well. With the advertisement of fairness creams and the like popping up even on social media, these gradually but deeply influence an individual's perspective of the world. The portrayal of characters in movies also sends negative images often, leading to them branding their counterparts in different senses as well.
As the upbringing of each child is important, parents should play an instrumental role to openly talk and discuss societal issues and manners, teaching them how to respect their peers. Patriarchal views should be totally avoided in all cases and each child should be taught that no male is more powerful than any female.
Social Media
Behaviour on social media should also be developed in a positive manner. As a Facebook user with 5000 friends, I have recently realised that my life has become totally fragile. At various instances I have stumbled upon places where people are given opportunities to use my views and pictures to threaten and bully in different ways. Phones in the hands of school students are also dangerous if you look at it this way. The government should have suitable mechanisms in place to control the use of certain apps which could end up preying on their young, impressionable users.
Law and order
Finally, the police department should educate institutions and children and help them understand that they are their friends. The largely pervasive fear of police personnel and the trend of victimising the victim should end to cultivate such a confidence.
Reach out
As a professor who teaches HRD as well to students, I make it a point to say this in class very frequently and I believe this is a message which should reach all, at the end of the day: "If you want to make the world a happy place, make it happy for another person. If someone else is suffering, never hesitate to offer a helping hand.
- Ragging on Indian college campuses up by 70% in 2017
- According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), 3,299 cases of student ragging in universities and colleges were registered across India between April 18, 2012 and December 12, 2017.
- However, only 957 students were punished for ragging
The author is the PRO of St Joseph's College and a professor of Social Work
(As told to Ralph Alex Arakal)
