Peaceful atmosphere for undergrads, tough action against ragging - Minister | Daily News

Peaceful atmosphere for undergrads, tough action against ragging - Minister

The Higher Education Ministry will create a peaceful and free educational atmosphere for all university undergraduates and take stern action against students involved in ragging, Higher Education and Cultural Affairs Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said.

"All Police stations have been instructed by IGP Pujith Jayasundera to take legal action against university students involved in ragging under the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act No. 20 of 1998," he said.

The Minister was addressing the media at the Cultural Affairs Ministry auditorium yesterday.

"With the powers vested with the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence Act, university students involved in ragging will be sentenceD to up to 10 years Rigorous Imprisonment.

"Due to ragging, 637 registered undergraduates for the 2016/2017 academic year, have left universities due to the fear of ragging and other forms of violence. The amount of 2015/2016 academic year is 1,350," the Minster added.

“There are a large number of students leaving the universities due to ragging and there are also instances of suicide attempts,” Minister Rajapakshe said.

The Minister added that the government spends an average sum of Rs.500,000 annually for a university student.

“This amount is only the recurrent expenditure. With the capital expenditure, the figure would be around Rs.1.5 million,” he added.

He said that the law is firm against those who engage in ragging in universities and even the bailing out of a ragging suspect does not come within the jurisdiction of a Magistrate. He added that if convicted, such a criminal would be sentenced to 10 years Rigorous Imprisonment.

Minister Rajapakshe further said that the Anti-Ragging Act which was not fully implemented right along will now be brought into full force to curtail ragging in universities.

The Minister accused the Peratugami political group is behind all forms of unruly activities in the universities. When the Peratugami force creates problems in the universities, the so called Peratugamis receive large sums of money in return.

“When the Peratugamis take undergraduates on to the streets, they receive millions in cash in return,” he said.

University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof. Mohan de Silva said that several measures have already been taken to stop ragging at universities. Under these moves, an anti-ragging mobile application was introduced. Besides, a 24 hour hotline number was also introduced.

University Vice Chancellors and other relevant officials have already been instructed to take action against the students who go against the law.


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