AP universities to pay fine for ragging in affiliated colleges

[Kalyan]

AP universities to pay fine for ragging in affiliated colleges

Hyderabad: Universities in Andhra Pradesh will now have to put a stop to ragging in affiliated colleges with an iron hand or else risk their funds being slashed.

    At the recent vice-chancellors' conference, chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had squarely put the onus of preventing ragging on universities. Now, the CM's recommendation has been taken up by the department of higher education and instructions would be given accordingly to the vice-chancellors.

    "The CM was concerned about the increasing ragging cases in the state. The universities will have to pay a fine of Rs 1,000 per ragging case reported from their jurisdiction," an official from the department of higher education said.

    He said the proposal was being processed by the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education and also secretaries of the higher education department. The plan is to make universities realise their role in monitoring colleges under their jurisdiction and the monetary penalty would force them to act on ragging incidents, the official said.

    He said after implementation of the measures, stricter restrictions would be put in place by the universities. "At a latter stage, the universities will be asked to set up anti-ragging cells in their affiliated colleges with their own funds," the official said. The officials have also decided to bring in stricter norms while dealing with ragging cases.