Action Against Ragging.

Maharashtra Prohibition of ragging Act 1999 which is in effect from 15^th May 1999 has the following provisions for Action against Ragging.

a)   Ragging within or outside of any educational institution is prohibited.

b)   Whoever directly or indirectly commits, participates in, abets, or propagates ragging within or outside any educational institution shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term up to 2 years and/or penalty, which may extend to ten thousand rupees.

c)   Any student convicted of an offence of ragging shall be dismissed from the educational institution and such student shall not be admitted in any other educational institution for a period of five years from the date of order of such dismissal.

d)   Whenever any student or, as the case may be, the parent or guardian or a teacher of an educational institution complains, in writing, of ragging to the head of the educational institution shall, without prejudice to the foregoing provisions, within seven days of the receipt of the complaint, enquire into the matter mentioned in the complaint and if, prima facie, it is found true, suspend the student who is accused of the offence, and shall, immediately forward the complaint to the police station having jurisdiction over the area in which the educational institution is situated, for further action. Where, on enquiry by the head of the education institution, it is found that there is no substance, prima facie, in the complaint received, he/she shall intimate the fact, in writing, to the complainant. The decision of the head of the educational institution shall be final.

e)   If the Head of the educational institution fails or neglects to act in the manner specified in section “d” above when a complaint of ragging is made, such person shall be deemed to have abetted the offence and shall, on conviction, be punished as provided for in section “b” above.