RSS - Posts
India yesterday launched a national, toll free helpline for victims of ragging, assuring them assistance at all hours within 15 minutes of a distress call in a move. Students entering India’s higher education system, scarred by deaths and grievous injuries from violent ragging, will no longer have to fear indignity.
The number 5522 has been chosen for the helpline, which will need to be dialed as 1800-180-5522 to use the toll free mode. Students can also email complaints to helpline@antiragging.net.
BSNL is the telecommunication provider for the service and the helpline will be handled at all hours from a call centre in west Delhi’s Kirti Nagar. The helpline will be guided by the University Grant Commission’s(UGC) new regulations against ragging that have now come into effect.
A student will receive a unique identification number on calling the helpline, which will be used in all subsequent official work on the case to guard his or her identity. The distress call will be forwarded to the head of the caller’s institution and the warden of his/her hostel as well as district authorities and, if necessary, police.
The institution is to alert an anti-ragging squad that must compulsorily be set up under the new regulations. The squad is required to rush to the spot where the student has alleged ragging within 15 minutes of the original distress call.
