Kerala Education Dept Likely To Introduce Anti-ragging Cells Across Schools – News18

Last Updated:February 17, 2025, 17:34 IST

The minister said that though disciplinary committees and protection groups already exist in schools across the state, practices like ragging have yet to be completely rooted out

Following incidents of ragging and bullying across educational institutions, the Kerala General Education Department said it is considering introducing anti-ragging cells in state schools. General Education Minister V Sivankutty said a panel of senior department officials will submit a proposal on the matter soon, reported PTI.

The minister further added that though disciplinary committees and protection groups already exist in schools across the state, practices like ragging have yet to be completely rooted out. “Therefore, the General Education Department is considering setting up anti-ragging cells in every educational institution in the state,” he told the news agency.

“The appointment of a committee comprising senior officials from the General Education Department to study and submit a report on its structure and functioning is under consideration,” Sivankutty added.

The proposed anti-ragging cells are expected to instill an approach and attitude that students can carry forward into their school and college years, Sivankutty said adding that there is a need to build a healthy relationship between teachers and students so that children feel comfortable sharing their problems with their teachers.

Recently, a student in Kerala’s Kunnur district was allegedly thrashed for “not showing respect to seniors”. Muhammed Nihal, a Plus One student, equivalent to Class 11, at Kolavallur PR Memorial School, claimed in his police complaint that his hand was broken in an attack by five students. He said that the seniors assaulted him in a group. He was later admitted to Thalassery Cooperative Hospital for treatment.

In another incident, horrific footage of brutal ragging at the Government Nursing College hostel in Kerala’s Kottayam surfaced on social media platforms last week where first-year students were brutally thrashed and assaulted by third-year nursing students. As per the visuals, one of the victims can be seen with his hands and legs tied to the ends of a cot. One of the accused repeatedly stabbed him with the pointed end of a compass. He is heard shouting in pain, while the accused laughed and mocked him.