The vision and aim of Sampratishta’s is to provide and foster an environment of acceptance, safety and inclusiveness in which its members may learn, work and grow productively. Sampratishta’s has a Zero tolerance policy towards Ragging / Bullying / Cyber Bullying on campus and off campus and extended environments such as cafeterias, transport, parking areas, team outings, field trips and institute events at external venues, and in any private or paying guest accommodation.
A: RAGGING
Ragging is a Criminal Offence as per Karnataka Educational Act 1983 and the Honourable Supreme Court Of India.
Legal Definition
“Ragging” means the doing of any act which causes, or is likely to cause any physical, psychological or physiological harm raising fear or apprehension, shame or embarrassment to any student and includes:
- Teasing or abusing, playing practical jokes on, or causing hurt to any student.
- Asking any student to perform or not to perform any act, which she / he would or would not, in the ordinary course, be willing to do or perform.
Sampratishta’s is committed to uphold the directions of the Honourable Supreme Court of India, and keep in consideration the guidelines on ragging determined by the Central Government and the UGC.
Ragging constitutes one or more of any of the following acts as per the UGC regulations and as per the Directives of the Supreme Court in 2009:
- Any conduct by any student or students whether by words spoken or written or by an act which has the effect of teasing, treating or handling with rudeness a fresher or any other student.
- Indulging in rowdy or undisciplined activities by any student or students which causes or is likely to cause annoyance, hardship, physical or psychological harm or to raise fear or apprehension thereof in any fresher or any other student.
- Asking any student to do any act which such student will not in the ordinary course do and which has the effect of causing or generating a sense of shame, or torment or embarrassment so as to adversely affect the physique or psyche of such fresher or any other student.
- Any act by a senior student or peer that prevents, disrupts or disturbs the regular academic activity of any other student or a fresher.
- Exploiting the services of a fresher or any other student for completing the academic tasks assigned to an individual or a group of students.
- Any act of financial extortion or forceful expenditure burden put on a fresher or any other student by students.
- Any act of physical abuse including all variants of it: sexual abuse, homosexual assaults, stripping, forcing obscene and lewd acts, gestures, causing bodily harm or any other danger to the victim’s mental or physical well-being.
- Any act or abuse by spoken words, emails, posts, public insults which would also include deriving perverted pleasure, vicarious or sadistic thrill from actively or passively participating in the discomfiture to a fresher or any other student.
- Any act that affects the mental health and self-confidence of a fresher or any other student with or without an intent to derive a sadistic pleasure or showing off power, authority or superiority by a student over any fresher or any other student.
- Any act by which a student is deprived of or forcibly made to give up/share his/her personal effects, items with or without intent to derive a sadistic pleasure or showing off power, authority or superiority by a student over any fresher or any other student.
B: BULLYING
Legal Definition:
Bullying means systematically and chronically inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one or more students. It is further defined as unwanted and repeated written, verbal, or physical behaviour, including any threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture, by a student or adult, that is severe or pervasive enough to create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment; cause discomfort or humiliation; or unreasonably interfere with the individual’s academic performance or participation; and may involve but is not limited to: teasing, social exclusion, threat, intimidation, stalking, physical violence, theft, sexual, religious, or racial harassment, public humiliation, or destruction of property.
C: CYBERBULLYING
Legal Definition:
Cyberbullying may be defined as ‘the use of electronic communication, particularly mobile phones and the internet, to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. Online abuse is a larger term that may include cyber bullying, stalking, revenge, online defamation, leaking of private information and hacking.
It can take a number of different forms:
- phone calls, threats and intimidation, harassment or ‘cyber-stalking’ (e.g. repeatedly sending unwanted texts or instant messages)
- sexting (e.g. sending and receiving sexually explicit messages, primarily between mobile phones)
- The use of mobile phone cameras to cause distress, fear or humiliation
- Posting threatening, abusive, defamatory or humiliating material on websites, to include blogs, personal websites, social networking sites
- Hijacking/cloning e-mail accounts
- Making threatening, abusive, defamatory or humiliating remarks in social networks
- vilification/defamation
- exclusion/peer rejection
- impersonation
- unauthorised publication of private information /images
- ‘Trolling’ (abusing the internet to provoke or offend others online)
It can be an extension of face-to-face bullying, with technology providing the bully with another route to harass their target.
Cyberbullying is not acceptable and the Institution fully recognizes its duty to protect all of its members with the aim to provide a safe, healthy environment for everyone.
Cyberbullying is considered a criminal offence under the Indian Penal Code, under the I.T. Act, 2000.
Who is covered by this policy?
All Sampratishta’s students are covered by this policy, particularly new students / freshers. This Sampratishta’s policy is gender neutral and covers with equal rigour all students irrespective of sexual orientation, political belief, race, religion, caste or community.
Where does the policy apply?
The Policy applies to all Sampratishta’s Premises and beyond. Ragging/ Bullying / Cyber Bullying outside Sampratishta’s’s Premises will also be covered by this Policy and therefore it is also prohibited in extended environments such as cafeterias, transport, parking areas, team outings, field trips and institute events at external venues, and in any private or paying guest accommodation.
During what times does the policy apply?
The policy applies at all times 24×7. The policy is not limited to normal Institute hours but applies at any time, to all work-related or institute-related functions, including social events.
Reporting
Any student subject to Ragging/ Bullying / Cyber Bullying or directly or indirectly distressed by any act of Ragging/ Bullying / Cyber Bullying or any student, parent / guardian, faculty, non-teaching staff including support staff who is witnesses or aware of any act of Ragging/ Bullying / Cyber Bullying, should immediately bring such incident to the notice of the institution through the No -Ragging/Bullying / Cyber Bullying Committee. The names, contact numbers / email details of the members of the Committee, and other professionals namely the Director, Executive Administrator, Dean of Students, will be published on posters, notice / bulletin boards in each campus.
A report will be documented by the No -Ragging/ Bullying / Cyber Bullying Committee and sent to the Director for further action. It will be kept confidential. Enquires into all reported incidents will be conducted and concluded within 7 working days. If required by law, Sampratishta’s may also report the incident to the police or other authorities for criminal action to be initiated.
Consequences in the event of Ragging/ Bullying / Cyber Bullying:
The Supreme Court of India has observed that enrolment in academic pursuits or a campus life should not immunize any adult citizen from the penal provisions of the laws of the land.
According to the directions of the Supreme Court if any instance of Ragging/ Bullying / Cyber Bullying is brought to the notice of the administration or the faculty, it is legally binding to report the matter to the Local Police.
Depending upon the nature and gravity of the offence as established, the possible punishments as per AICTE / UGC Section 9 (UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009) for those found guilty of Ragging/ Bullying / Cyber Bullying at the institutional level, shall be any one or any combination of the following:
- Suspension from attending classes
- Withholding/withdrawing scholarship / fellowship and other benefits
- Debarring from appearing in any jury / test / examination or other evaluation process
- Withholding results
- Debarring from representing the institution in any regional, national or international meet / exchange programs, conferences / tournament, youth meet / festival, etc.
- Suspension / expulsion from the hostel / paying guest accommodation
- Cancellation of admission
- Rustication from the institution for period ranging from 1 to 4 semesters
- Expulsion from the institution and consequent debarring from admission to any other institution
- Anything which the No -Ragging/ Bullying / Cyber Bullying Committee finds suitable as per the enquiry conducted
Provided that where the persons committing or abetting the act of Ragging / Bullying / Cyber Bullying are not identified, the institution shall resort to collective punishment.