UGC’s anti-ragging system has utterly failed, says Delhi High Court
In a strong rebuke to the University Grants Commission (UGC)’s current anti-ragging framework, the Delhi High Court has signalled that it may initiate a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) petition to address the recent surge in ragging incidents and student deaths across higher educational institutions.
According to the latest 2022 National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, students accounted for 7.6% — or 13,044 — of all deaths by suicide in India, surpassing the combined toll among farmers and agricultural labourers. Last year, the UGC’s anti-ragging helpline recorded 1,084 complaints, the highest in the past nine years.
Also Read: Unending ordeal | On continuing acts of ragging
“This system has utterly failed. You have not been able to do anything. Except every other day, there is a news report of a student death,” a Bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela observed on Friday (July 11, 2025) during the hearing on a petition filed by Aman Satya Kachroo Trust (ASKT), a non-governmental organisation.
Questioning the effectiveness of the UGC’s anti-ragging system, the court observed, “Spending ₹44 lakh yearly for overseeing the welfare of 35 million students across the country — how do you justify this? You have to open your coffers.”
Anti-ragging measures announced by Delhi University ahead of new academic sessionDelhi High Court may initiate PIL due to rise in student suicides and ragging incidents, questioning UGC's effectiveness. | Source: The Hindu
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