Eight ragging cases recorded in two govt colleges in 16 months: Odisha Minister

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Higher Education Department has received eight ragging complaints from two government-run colleges in the past 16 months, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj informed the Assembly on Friday.

Replying to a question from Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam, Suraj said four complaints were received from BJB Autonomous Degree College in Bhubaneswar and another four from Government Autonomous College, Rourkela.

He said the complaints from BJB Autonomous College were "resolved amicably between both parties," while those from the Rourkela institution were settled after "appropriate action was taken against the accused students as per the decision of the anti-ragging cell." The minister said the anti-ragging cell is vigilant and taking swift action for redressal of such complaints.

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Suraj further informed the House that the Higher Education Department is in the process of collecting information regarding ragging incidents reported from engineering and medical colleges across the state. To prevent ragging in educational institutions, the departments concerned have issued instructions from time to time to colleges and universities in line with UGC guidelines, he said.