Ragging in State universities has again become a current topic among people since a few junior undergraduates had committed suicide recently due to unbearable ragging by senior students, Vice Chairman of the Asian Crime Prevention Association, Dr. Anusha Edirisinghe said.
Many undergraduates had died of ragging in Sri Lanka and those unfortunate incidents had tarnished the image of State Universities, Dr. Edirisinghe told the Sunday Observer.
She said first year students of State universities miss important lessons for months every year in universities due to ragging by their seniors. This is a pathetic trend and most students who rag juniors were found to be suffering from certain mental imbalances and lack of a dignified personality.
Nobody has the right to hinder others or to deprive their right of living freely. These senior students directly ruin the studies of juniors by ragging and nobody could approve ragging at any place or at any time, she said.
Senior students who are accused of ragging juniors at State universities have to be dealt with under the criminal law of this country.
Dr. Edirisinghe said nearly 59 undergraduates of State Universities had died or become disabled for life after being ragged in universities. Many parents are reluctant to send their children to universities as they value the lives of their children more than university degrees, she added.