Ragging isn't a rite of passage; it's a crime. Learn how to use the UGC portal and 24/7 helpline to report harassment and hold your college accountable.
You finally made it to your dream college, but your "seniors" think an "intro session" means making you stand in a dark room for three hours or doing things that make you feel small. Maybe they call it "personality building," but your gut says it is harassment. When "just joking" turns into a nightmare, you do not have to "man up" or just ignore it. The law calls it ragging, and there is a specific button to stop it.
Ragging is not just a "college tradition"; it is a punishable offence. The primary law governing this is the UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009.
Under Regulation 3, ragging includes any act by a senior student that has the effect of teasing, treating, or handling a fresher with rudeness. It covers physical abuse, psychological harm, and even financial extortion (like being forced to pay for a senior's canteen bill).
The Penalties: According to Regulation 9.1, if found guilty, a student can face:
The Criminal Side: Since July 2024, criminal acts during ragging are prosecuted under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Depending on the severity, the police can charge perpetrators with:
Every college is legally mandated to have an Anti-Ragging Committee (ARC) and an Anti-Ragging Squad (ARS). If your college fails to act on a complaint, the University Grants Commission (UGC) can withdraw the college's affiliation or stop its funding under Regulation 8.1. For more on institutional safety, see our guide on POSH at workplace and college.
If you are in immediate physical danger, get to a safe space—the library, a faculty room, or outside the campus gates. If possible (and only if it does not put you at further risk), keep a record of:
Before filing a formal web complaint, call 1800-180-5522. This is a toll-free, 24/7 service operated by the UGC.
Visit antiragging.in to create a formal paper trail.
Within 24 hours of your portal complaint, your college’s ARC is supposed to be notified.
If the ragging involved physical violence, molestation, or theft, do not wait for the college committee. Go to the nearest police station.
You can track your complaint status on the antiragging.in portal using your Complaint ID. If there is no movement within 72 hours, call the helpline again and quote your ID to escalate the matter. If the stress is becoming too much, reach out to Mental health helplines (iCall, Vandrevala, NIMHANS) for support.
Even with a "zero-tolerance" policy, the system often hits roadblocks. Here is how to navigate them:
The "Internal Settlement" Trap: Your HOD or Principal might call you into their office and suggest you "forgive and forget" to save the college's reputation. They might even frame it as "not wanting to ruin a senior's career."
The "No Evidence" Excuse: The Anti-Ragging Committee (ARC) might claim they cannot do anything because there are no photos or videos.
The Portal Glitch: Sometimes the antiragging.in portal might fail to upload your attachments or time out.
[email protected]. This creates a timestamped digital record that is just as valid as the portal submission.Fear of Retaliation: You might worry that complaining will make the ragging worse.
Copy, fill in the [highlighted] bits, and send.
You: "Hello, I want to register a formal ragging complaint. I am a student at [College Name, City]." Operator: "Can you describe what happened?" You: "On [Date] at [Time], in [Location, e.g., Hostel Block B], a group of seniors [mention names if known, or descriptions] forced me to [describe the act—be specific about physical touch, verbal abuse, or forced tasks]. I felt threatened/humiliated." Operator: "Do you want to remain anonymous?" You: "Yes, for now / No, you can use my name. Please provide me with my Complaint ID for tracking."
Subject: Formal Complaint regarding Ragging Incident on [Date] – [Your Name/Roll No]
To the Chairperson, Anti-Ragging Committee,
I am writing to formally report an incident of ragging as defined under Regulation 3 of the UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging, 2009.
Details of the incident:
This incident has caused me significant [physical/mental] distress. I request you to initiate an inquiry through the Anti-Ragging Squad immediately as per the UGC mandate. I also request that my safety be ensured on campus during this process.
Kindly acknowledge this email and provide a timeline for the inquiry.
Regards, [Your Name] [Phone Number]
If the college stays silent, file an RTI on rtionline.gov.in (for govt colleges) or a physical letter (for private ones).
Text: "Please provide the following information regarding the ragging complaint filed by [Your Name] on [Date]:
Yes. The UGC Regulations (2009) apply whether the ragging happens inside the campus, in a private hostel, or even on a bus. If the perpetrators are students of your institution, the college is responsible for taking action.
The rules are the same. All Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in India, including private universities and those governed by the National Medical Commission (NMC), must follow UGC's anti-ragging mandates. The NMC has its own strict "Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges/Institutions Regulations, 2021."
No. The National Anti-Ragging Helpline (1800-180-5522) is toll-free, and filing a complaint on the `antiragging.in` portal is completely free of cost. Do not pay anyone who claims they can "settle" the matter for a fee.
While the UGC expects immediate action, the standard procedure usually involves the Anti-Ragging Squad submitting a report to the Committee within 24–72 hours of the incident. A final decision on punishment should ideally be reached within 7 to 15 days.
Only if it is proven that you filed the complaint with malicious intent and knew it was 100% fake. If the committee simply "doesn't find enough evidence," that is not a crime, and you cannot be punished for it.
If the local police station refuses to register your FIR, you can send your complaint via registered post to the Superintendent of Police (SP) under **Section 173(3) of the BNSS, 2023**. You can also mark a copy of this to the UGC Helpline, which will then escalate it to the state authorities.
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