What's the law on ragging in colleges? How do I report it?

The UGC Anti-Ragging Regulations, 2009 define ragging broadly enough to cover most forms of coerced or humiliating conduct directed at juniors, regardless of the intent behind them.

Physical ragging — hitting, slapping, beating, kicking, choking, forced exercises (squats, sit-ups, push-ups, running), confinement or locking in rooms, force-feeding inedible substances, stripping, forced exposure, and forced labour like carrying seniors' belongings. Verbal and psychological ragging — abuse, threats, insults, public humiliation, name-calling, mocking, forcing degrading acts, coercing into illegal or immoral activities like drinking, drugs or watching pornography, and any conduct designed to create fear or apprehension. Sexual ragging covers sexual harassment, assault, inappropriate touching, forced acts of a sexual nature, forced exposure, sharing or recording explicit images, and orientation- or gender-identity-based ragging.

Caste and religion-based ragging — discrimination, casteist slurs, forced unnatural conduct — triggers the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 when the victim is from those groups. Cyber-ragging covers social media harassment, sharing personal information, online humiliation, trolling and defamation. Financial ragging — forcing juniors to pay for seniors' food or drinks, extortion, taking property — also falls within the definition.

Even 'mild' or 'fun' interactions can be classified as ragging if they cause discomfort, embarrassment or psychological harm, regardless of intent. Tragic incidents — Aman Kachru (2009), Rohith Vemula (2016) and many others — pushed courts toward expansive definitions. Ragging includes anything 'designed to cause apprehension, distress, embarrassment, exposure, indignity'.

Multiple parallel channels exist — use them in parallel for the fastest response.

The National Anti-Ragging Helpline — 1800-180-5522 — is a free, 24/7 UGC-operated line that records the complaint, escalates it to the college and police, and follows up. Online complaints at antiragging.in can be filed with anonymity, accept photo, video and message evidence, and are auto-routed to the college Anti-Ragging Committee, the State Education Department and UGC. Email to helpline@antiragging.in works as a written record. Every UGC-recognised institution must have an Anti-Ragging Committee and Squad, with contact details on noticeboards, website and hostel — direct a written complaint to the Chairperson (Principal / Director).

File a police FIR for anything involving criminal acts, at the station with jurisdiction over the college. BNS sections that apply include 115-117 (hurt / grievous hurt), 75-79 (sexual offences), 351 (criminal intimidation), 318 (cheating / extortion), 196 (promoting enmity) and 106 (causing death by negligence); the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 also applies where the victim is from those groups. See our Zero FIR guide. Most states have a designated State Anti-Ragging Authority empowered to mandate institutional action. UGC can be approached directly for institutional non-compliance, and can withhold grants, withdraw recognition and publicly censure.

Notify parents and family — they have legal standing to act, and escalation through state authorities, MPs and MLAs is often what moves entrenched cases. In extreme situations, media attention often triggers swift action. All reporting channels offer confidentiality: the complainant's identity is not disclosed to the alleged ragger without consent.

Ragging attracts three layers of penalty running concurrently — institutional, state statutory, and general criminal.

Institutional penalties under UGC Regulations: suspension from classes and academic privileges, withholding or withdrawing scholarships and financial benefits, debarring from exams, withholding results, debarring from events (sports, cultural, NCC, NSS), suspension or expulsion from hostel, cancellation of admission, rustication from the institution for 1 to 4 semesters, outright expulsion, debarment from admission to other institutions, and collective punishment — fines on the entire batch when individual raggers cannot be identified.

Criminal penalties under state Anti-Ragging Acts: the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999 provides for imprisonment up to 2 years and fine up to ₹10,000, plus dismissal from the institution; the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997 mirrors this; Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh and others have similar provisions.

Criminal penalties under BNS, 2023 apply simultaneously: Section 115/117 (hurt / grievous hurt — 1 to 7 years); Section 75/79 (sexual harassment / insulting modesty — 3 years); Section 77 (voyeurism — 3-7 years); Section 351 (criminal intimidation — 2 to 7 years); Section 308 (extortion — 7 years); Section 106 (causing death by negligence — 5 years, 10 if fleeing); Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder — 10 years to life); Section 196 (promoting enmity between groups). For severe cases, raggers face decades in prison — the Aman Kachru case led to murder conviction of the seniors. Collective fines on entire batches when individuals cannot be identified are a powerful institutional deterrent.

Support for ragging victims runs across several layers, starting with immediate care.

Medical support — immediate examination at any hospital (free for ragging-related injuries at government hospitals) with a Medico-Legal Case registered as important evidence, plus psychiatric counselling and trauma support that colleges must arrange. Academic protection — the right to continue studies without harassment, UGC-facilitated inter-institution transfers where needed, re-admission or re-examination opportunities if education was disrupted, and counsellor support for academic recovery.

Legal support comes through free DLSA legal aid (our good lawyer guide covers this), legal cells in some institutions, and NGOs like the Coalition Against Sexual Harassment (CASH) and various university-based collectives. Financial support: State Victim Compensation Schemes applied for through DLSA, additional compensation under the PoA Act for SC/ST victims, health insurance through the college that usually covers ragging-related medical costs, and state-specific Anti-Ragging Victim Schemes in some states.

Confidentiality and protection — identity protection during investigation, witness protection where required, separate accommodation if hostel-based ragging continues, and court-mediated restraining orders against perpetrators. Family involvement matters: notify parents immediately because their support is meaningful and they have standing to pursue the case — many victims hesitate, but isolation worsens trauma. Peer support is available through student helplines and counselling, buddy systems, and anti-ragging student volunteers.

Key helplines: 1098 Childline (under 18), 1800-180-5522 National Anti-Ragging Helpline, 9152987821 iCall (mental health), 9820466726 Vandrevala Foundation (mental health 24/7), 080-25497777 Sumaitri, and university Wellness Centres.

Institutional negligence and cover-ups are unfortunately common. If your college is not acting, escalate deliberately.

First, document the institutional failure — retain a copy of your written complaint to the Anti-Ragging Committee, get an acknowledgment receipt, note any inadequate response, and collect witness testimonies. Next, escalate within the college hierarchy — Vice-Chancellor, Chancellor, trustees, and the affiliating University if any — in writing.

Then move outside the institution. UGC complaint by email to helpline@antiragging.in — UGC can order inquiry, withhold grants and withdraw recognition, and has wide powers over deemed universities. State Anti-Ragging Authorities can direct institutional action. File a police FIR: institutional failure to act can itself constitute an offence under Section 245 BNS (failure of public servant to perform duty) — see our Zero FIR guide. If the police stall, seek Magistrate intervention under Section 175(3) BNSS for direction to police, or its Section 153 CrPC equivalent for direction to investigate.

Parallel forums matter. Approach the National or State Human Rights Commission for serious systemic violations — complaints are free and online. Use the Women's Commission for sexual ragging, the SC/ST Commission for caste-based ragging, and the Minority Commission for religion-based ragging. A writ petition in the High Court works for institutional non-compliance with statutory duty — courts have repeatedly directed Vice-Chancellors and Principals to act, and can compel investigation, action against staff and institutional reform, with free legal aid available. Media coverage is a last resort but often effective, with the standard caveat: stick to verifiable facts to avoid defamation exposure. Engage a reputable, specialised lawyer for sustained legal action.

Don't suffer in silence — the Supreme Court has made institutions strictly accountable. See our related workplace harassment guide for related principles.