An incident of ragging that took place at National Law School of India (NLSIU) between 2017-2018 has raised controversy after the administration failed to register a criminal case against the convicted offender as required under the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations.

In this regard, Section 7 of the UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational In Higher Educational Institutions, 2009 provides that if an offence of ragging is made out, the same must be reported within 24 hours to the police. To this effect, the provision states,

“On receipt of the recommendation of the Anti Ragging Squad or on receipt of any information concerning any reported incident of ragging, the Head of institution shall immediately determine if a case under the penal laws is made out and if so, either on his own or through a member of the Anti-Ragging Committee authorised by him in this behalf, proceed to file a First Information Report (FIR), within twenty four hour of receipt of such information or recommendation, with the police and local authorities under the appropriate penal provisions…”

Sources told Bar & Bench that the incident in question is yet to be intimated to the police, even though the Anti-Ragging Squad (ARS) Committee found the 5th year delinquent student guilty of having ragged a 2nd year student of NLSIU.

Yet another institutional failure highlighted concerns the appeal of the delinquent student against the findings of the ARS. The order of the ARS, signed by University Registrar Dr OV Nandimath, reveals that the delinquent student’s appeal challenging the guilty verdict would be heard by the Vice-Chancellor of NLSIU. This stands in violation of Section 9.1 of the 2009 Anti-Ragging Regulations. To this end, Section 9.1 (c) (ii) states,

“An appeal against the order of punishment by the Anti-Ragging Committee shall lie…

…(ii) In case of an order of a University, to its Chancellor”

An appeal to the Vice-Chancellor would only lie if the order has been passed by an institution affiliated to or a constituent part of a University.

For the present, the delinquent student has been penalised with suspension for a one trimester period. Following the ARS finding, the NLSIU Registrar passed an order on Monday penalising the delinquent student as follows:

• The student has been suspended from attending classes and academic privileges, taking part in any University activity or appearing for University examinations during the current trimester.
• He is expelled from the hostel for a period of one trimester.
• The delinquent student is hereby seriously warned that in future, any misconduct committed will be viewed seriously and may end up in removal from the University.

The University did not respond to emails and phone calls at the time of publishing this story.