Seniors, Mentors not Tormentors

Come July, and the campus comes to life again. Everybody is enthusiastic to face the fresh challenges of the new session. The usual warmth fills the air, dissolving all boundaries, seniors and juniors enjoying alike in the same peer group. This year would have been no different but for the slew of directives issued by the apex court to check ragging.
On May 16, the Supreme Court declared that ragging and any form of abetment to ragging, causing injury or subjecting anyone to forceful confinement, physical and sexual assault, would now be treated as a criminal offence.
But the question is whether all the stakeholders — students, parents and guardians, faculty and administrators — understand the full implications of the law and are ready to confront the issue with all its ramifications. According to the new regulations, if an incidence of ‘ragging’ comes to light and the junior files a complaint, then the college is bound to take an immediate action satisfactory to the so called ‘victim’, failing which, an FIR can be lodged against the college administration, the Director being held responsible.
Here it is important to note that “it is not the form of ragging” but how the fresher perceives the ordeal that would determine the issue. At the end of the day, even playful interaction which helps to thaw the ice for some, could prove to be hard on others, leading to a demand for legal redress. Thus the ruling has become a mere tool in the hands of juniors which can ruin the career of seniors by a mere complaint or be misused to settle some long lost scores. Even criminals committing heinous crimes, are assumed ‘innocent till proven guilty’, but the college students who, at the most may have committed a trivial offence are considered ‘guilty till proven innocent’. The option of settlement by mutual consent has also been left out, by the clause, which allows for action against the indicter, if he wishes to withdraw his complaint. A graver and a harsher stand indeed.
Does anybody realize how pivotal a role, seniors play in shaping a juniors career? The freshies are quite unaware of the very basic information regarding departments, faculty, syllabus, facilities at the campus and the city. Such practical knowledge and local know how can only be got from seniors who are already acquainted with the place. Even during the later years seniors are the ones who help to know about the technicalities of administrative procedures-like how to apply for interns, training, or obtaining transcript for higher studies, and also crucial info about the companies, campus placements or company specific campus details concerning placement. Also the companies which are flooding the University for placements are there just because our alumni are performing exceptionally in industry and are at such dictating positions that companies have to visit the institute.
The relations between seniors and juniors form the harmonious threads of the fabric of any institution. When in college it is the seniors who always come to our rescue in our ordeals, offering elderly affection and emotional support. It is not a rare sight to see a senior tending to his injured or sick junior or helping him out in his studies and projects, carrying out workshops and spending his precious time on them, which could else have been used for his own betterment. The juniors can go and stay at the seniors place, when in the city without any invitation or hesitation whatsoever, all as a part of this great culture. Even the passouts, because of this strong legacy, do not hesitate in offering any possible help; in cases monetary too.
What do the seniors get in return for this and more, practically nothing! All they expect is only a little bit of recognition and respect from their juniors. Is this asking too much on their part, for which, they can be accused and convicted?
The need of the hour is to give a patient hearing to the other side too, so that none would suffer, either as the victim or as the perpetrator. There are three sides to any controversy-yours, the other person’s and the right one. But who is to decide???

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