The Psychological Toll Of Ragging : A Wake-Up Call For Educational Institutions

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It was Raghav's third day on campus, and the excitement of starting college had already begun to fade into the anxiety of exploring his new life. The faces of strangers, the countless unknowns, and the overwhelming pressure of trying to fit in made him feel more isolated than ever.

That's when Kiran, a senior he'd seen around campus, approached him. "Hey, new kid! We've got a little tradition here. You're part of the gang now!" she said, with a smirk on her face. The others, Neha and Nidhi, flanked her side, their grins mirroring hers.

Raghav felt a sinking feeling in his chest. He had heard about ragging, how it was "part of college life" but he didn't think it would happen to him. "I... I don't know if I'm ready for this," he stammered, looking for a way to escape.

But Kiran wasn't hearing any of it. "Don't be so uptight! It's just fun. You'll be fine."

The group led him to a secluded corner behind the library, where other seniors stood watching. The atmosphere quickly shifted from casual to tense, like a predatory circle closing in on its prey. Raghav stood frozen as they surrounded him.

"Alright, freshie, time to impress us," Kiran said, her voice suddenly sharp. "Dance. Right now."

Raghav hesitated. His face flushed. He had no idea what to do. The other students chuckled, but their laughter wasn't kind, it was taunting. The pressure to perform was suffocating.

"Come on, don't be shy," Nidhi urged, crossing her arms. "Or else we'll just make you do something worse."

Raghav's knees shook as he awkwardly shuffled, trying to make a joke out of it. But the laughter didn't stop. Instead, they kept pushing him to do more humiliating things - "Sing a song in front of everyone," Kiran ordered, her tone now less playful and more commanding. Raghav hesitated, feeling exposed. But before he could say anything, Nidhi added, "And it better be loud. You'll regret it if you don't."

Raghav's stomach churned. He could feel the weight of their eyes on him, laughing, watching, waiting for him to mess up. He did what they asked, his voice cracking as he sang a song, but it wasn't good enough.

"Pathetic," Neha sneered, stepping forward. "Now, get down on all fours and act like a dog. Beg us for food."

He wanted to disappear. His mind raced. Why am I doing this? Why are they doing this to me?

As the pranks continued, one of the seniors grabbed a bottle of ice cold water and splashed it over Raghav's head. The cold liquid sent a shock through his body, and he gasped, not from the water, but because it made it harder to breathe. He instinctively clutched his throat, his chest tightening.

"Are you okay, man?" one of the seniors asked, a hint of concern in his voice, though it was too late to back out now.

Raghav's breaths grew shallow and uneven. His heart raced, his vision blurred, and he could no longer stand. The laughter around him began to fade into a muffled hum as his body was consumed by panic.

"I... I can't breathe..." Raghav whispered, his voice barely audible.

Neha's expression shifted from amusement to worry, realizing something was seriously wrong. She rushed forward. "Kiran! He's not messing around. He can't breathe!"

For a moment, no one moved, as the gravity of the situation sank in. Then, Kiran's face went pale. "Raghav, come on, breathe. This is just a joke..."

But it wasn't just a joke. Raghav's body slumped, his eyes wide with fear. He was suffocating, unable to get air into his lungs. Panic overtook him, and the circle of seniors now stood frozen, unsure of how to handle the unfolding situation.

Shaan, Raghav's roommate, had been looking for him. When he saw the chaos unfolding, he rushed over. Seeing Raghav gasping for air, he acted immediately, pulling Raghav into his arms and shouting for help.

"Get the nurse! Now!" Shaan yelled, his voice filled with panic.

It felt like an eternity before the campus medical team arrived, but by then, Raghav was too weak to speak. He was rushed to the hospital, and the seniors who had been part of the group were left standing, paralyzed by guilt and fear.

Hours later, the news spread like wildfire across campus. The entire college was in shock. This wasn't just a harmless prank gone wrong, it was an emergency that could have cost someone their life. Raghav's condition stabilized, but the incident left a scar on the campus, one that wouldn't fade easily.

In the aftermath, there was an outcry among the students. Some of them had witnessed the event, and others heard the stories. Many felt sickened by how far things had gone. A few senior students, including Neha, began speaking out against ragging, urging their peers to see the harm they had caused.

"What happened today wasn't 'fun.' It wasn't 'just a joke,'" Neha said during an impromptu gathering. "It was bullying. We crossed a line."

Shaan, his voice hoarse from hours of worrying, stepped up. "We need to do something about this. We can't let it happen again. Not to anyone else."

The seniors, especially Kiran, were shaken. They had never intended for things to go so far. What they had thought was harmless teasing had broken someone. They had humiliated a person and they had pushed him to the point of trauma.

The realization hit hard when Neha, Nidhi, and even Kiran stood together, confronting the damage they had caused. They couldn't undo the harm, but they could make sure it didn't happen again.

"We need to do something about this," Neha said, her voice shaking with guilt. "We can't let this be the end of it. We need to stop this from happening to anyone else."

Kiran nodded. "I... I don't know how we got here. It shouldn't have happened. I never meant for it to go this far. We need to take responsibility."

The group quickly reached out to Raghav's roommates and began working with faculty members to organize an anti-ragging campaign. They wanted to change the culture of the campus, to take a stand against the toxic tradition that they had perpetuated. They worked tirelessly to spread awareness, organize rallies, and hold seminars about the harmful effects of ragging. They lobbied for stricter policies and harsher punishments for anyone caught participating in ragging.

Kiran, Neha, and the others took the lead, determined to make things right. "This isn't just about Raghav. It's about everyone who's been hurt by this. It stops now," Kiran said, her voice filled with conviction.

The campaign continued, and over time, ragging became something that was no longer tolerated on their campus. It was a hard lesson learned, but one that Raghav's trauma helped spark. His suffering wasn't in vain, it ignited a movement that would ensure no one else would have to go through what he had.

And though Raghav would carry the emotional scars of that day for a long time, he found solace in knowing that his pain had led to change. The campus had started to heal, and so had he.

Raghav's Experience : The Psychological And Emotional Toll Of Ragging

Raghav's ragging experience began as a seemingly harmless initiation but quickly escalated to traumatic levels, showcasing how ragging can transform from light teasing into severe abuse. It highlights the psychological and emotional toll ragging can take, with the victim feeling humiliated and powerless, and the harm extending far beyond just the physical acts.

The Power Dynamic : A Desire For Dominance

Raghav's seniors, like Kiran and the others, used ragging to assert control over him, driven by a desire for dominance. This power imbalance reflects broader human behavior seen in history, where subjugation is used to maintain superiority. Ragging, in its most extreme form, forces the victim into an inferior position, leading to lasting emotional trauma, even if the seniors don't immediately realize the damage they cause.

The Role Of Inequality : Reinforcing Hierarchies

Ragging often reflects broader societal inequalities. On campus, the diversity of students can lead to discrimination, with freshers like Raghav becoming easy targets for seniors seeking to assert their superiority. Ragging is not merely about personal cruelty but reinforces hierarchical power structures, highlighting a systemic failure where educational institutions allow such behavior to persist unchecked.

The Institutional Failure : Lack Of Effective Regulations

A lack of strict regulations and enforcement by educational institutions enables ragging to thrive. In Raghav's case, there were no consequences for the seniors' actions, reflecting a broader institutional failure. Schools and colleges must implement and enforce clear anti-ragging policies to prevent abuse and create a safe environment for all students.

The Aftermath : Realization And Responsibility

Over time, the seniors involved in ragging began to recognize the harm they caused. This self-awareness led them to take responsibility and start an anti-ragging campaign. The initiative became a crucial step toward cultural change within the institution, demonstrating that students who once participated in ragging could lead efforts to stop it.

The Way Forward : Engaging All Stakeholders

The anti-ragging campaign quickly gained momentum, bringing in faculty, staff, and law enforcement to address ragging as a systemic issue. The establishment of committees, regular inspections, awareness campaigns, and monitoring of student housing were vital measures to prevent future incidents.

Raghav's experience was a catalyst for change, but the fight against ragging requires a collective effort. From the institution's leadership to parents, legal authorities, and even the media, all stakeholders must take a stand. Educational institutions are responsible for creating safe environments for their students, but this can only be achieved through collaboration and a shared commitment to ending ragging.

To end on an unfortunate note, the heartbreaking suicide of 15-year-old Mihir Ahammed in Kochi, Kerala, has been igniting widespread outrage recently and has highlighted the deadly consequences of ragging and bullying in schools. Mihir's tragic death, a result of severe abuse including physical and verbal assault, and forced degrading acts, has exposed the dark realities of unchecked aggression among students.

Despite his mother's efforts to seek justice, including allegations of school cover-ups, the incident has sparked a national conversation about the need for stronger anti-ragging measures and greater accountability from educational institutions. The tragedy underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms, empathy, and a collective societal effort to protect students from such cruelty and ensure that no child faces such torment again.