Stern measures to prevent ragging in universities

The Government is determined to take stern action against the students continuing abhorrent practice of ragging in the country’s universities, the Minister of Higher Education S.B Dissanayaka has said.

Minister Dissanayaka has said that the government will terminate the studentship of the students who fail all subjects at the first year examination.

The Minister stated that this step would be taken as a measure to stop ragging since it is identified that certain students join student’s unions and conduct ragging and fail examinations.

The Minister stated that he would direct the Vice Chancellors of universities to pass this decision through university senates and issue the university leaving certificate as well with the first year result sheet if the students had failed all subjects.

Meanwhile, a female student of Ruhuna University was admitted into Matara hospital on Thursday following ragging. The student who has a certain neurological disorder had fell ill during leadership training.

The objectionable practice of ragging in higher education institutes has come under severe criticism from the civil society as it has caused several fatalities over the course of years at Sri Lankan universities. It has also increased suicide risks among the freshmen student population.

The government this year introduced a mandatory leadership training program to all freshmen entering the country’s public universities to train them to shun the bullying practice.