Section 23A in Himachal Pradesh University Act, 1970
23A. Prohibition of and Punishment for Ragging. - (1) Ragging in any form is strictly prohibited, within or outside the premises of a hostel, College/Department or Institution and any part of the Himachal Pradesh University system as well as on a public road or transport in its vicinity.
(2)Any individual or collective act of practice or ragging constitutes gross indiscipline and shall be dealt with under the Statute.(3)Ragging for the purposes of this Statute, ordinarily means any act, conduct or practice by which dominant power or status of senior students is brought to bear on students freshly enrolled or students who are in any way considered junior or inferior by other students and includes individual or collective acts or practices which :(a)involve physical assault or threat or use of physical force;(b)violate the status, dignity and honour of women students;(c)violate the status, dignity and honour of students belonging to the scheduled castes and tribes;(d)expose students to ridicule and contempt and effect their self-esteem;(e)entail verbal abuse and aggression, indecent gestures and obscene behaviour.(4)The Principal of College, the Head of the Department or an Institution, the authorities of College, of the University Hostel or Halls of residence shall take immediate action on any information of the occurrence of ragging.(5)Notwithstanding any thing in clause (4) above the person to whom powers are delegated under Clause(2) may also suo moto inquire into any incident of ragging and make a report to the Vice-Chancellor of the identity of those who have engaged in ragging and the nature of the incident.(6)The person to whom powers are delegated under Clause (2) may also submit an initial report establishing the identity of the perpetrators of ragging and the nature of ragging incident.(7)If the Principal of a College or Head of the Department or Institution or person to whom powers are delegated under Clause (2) is satisfied that for some reasons to be recorded in writing, it is not reasonably practical to hold such an enquiry, he may so advice the Vice-Chancellor accordingly.(8)When the Vice-Chancellor is satisfied that it is not expedient to hold such an enquiry his decision shall be final.(9)On the receipt of a report under Clause(5) or (6) or a determination by the relevant authority under Clause (7) disclosing the occurrence of ragging incidents described in sub-Clause (a), (b) and (c) or Clause (3) the Vice-Chancellor shall direct or order rustication of a students or students for a specific number of years.(10)The Vice-Chancellor may in other cases of ragging order or direct any student or students to be expelled or be not for a stated period admitted to a course of study in College, departmental examination for one or more years or that the results of the student or students concerned in the examinations in which they appeared be cancelled.(11)In case where students who have obtained degrees or diplomas of the University are found guilty under this Statute, appropriate action will be taken under Section 44 of the Himachal Pradesh University Act, 1970 for withdrawal of degrees or diplomas conferred by the University.(12)For the purpose of this Statute, abetment to ragging will also amount to ragging.(13)All Institutions, within the University, shall carry out instructions directions issued under this Statute, and to give aid and assistance to the Vice-Chancellor to achieve the effective implementation of the Statute.(14)It shall be the duty of the Vice-Chancellor to present annually to the Executive Council of the University, a report as to the steps taken by him to control and curb the evil of ragging in the University, and where incident of ragging has been reported and any lenient view has been taken, he shall cause the details thereof, together with a memorandum explaining the reasons for taking such lenient view, to be laid down before the Executive Council of the University. The Vice-Chancellor shall also ensure that the report submitted to the Executive Council under this Clause shall be included in the annual report to be prepared under Section 37 of the Himachal Pradesh University Act, 1970.
