Eradicating university ragging: Are we serious?
By Professor Asoka N.I. Ekanayaka
Emeritus Professor-May 16, 2016, 9:00 pm
Emeritus Professor-May 16, 2016, 9:00 pm
The ‘high level consultative dialogue on preventing ragging’ organised by the UGC last month was a step in the right direction and it was encouraging to note the commitment of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to eliminating ragging as reflected in his remarks at that meeting. However, as someone who has seen it all before and can look back on a lifetime of frustrating endeavor against "ragging" (an unfortunate euphemism for human torture at universities), I may be excused for being somewhat skeptical about the outcome of such consultations notwithstanding the media publicity before the dust settles and all is as it was before. Consequently, this article is intended to set out some critical perspectives based on long personal experience resisting this abomination, for the benefit of those who may be serious about doing something about it today.
During 30 years of relentless struggle as a university teacher and Dean of a faculty against this depravity I have often been up against the weakness and conciliatory mentality of university authorities to whom what matters is peace at any cost on campus whatever the sacrifice of moral principle. In a world where outward appearances count more than the inner reality university authorities often share with other heads of institutions the vanity of wanting to show the world that all is well in their own neck of the woods. To frankly concede that things are bad and can only get better is not considered good for the institutional image nor does it flatter the ego of those who run it!
On one occasion I with some brave anti-rag students had to endure the stubborn inactivity of even a deputy proctor in the faculty where it is the primary duty of proctors to ensure student discipline so much so that one wonders on whose side he was. And then there was the persistent apathy ignorance and naivety of a large majority of the academic community who couldn’t care less about the problem of ragging so that the few who motivated by a deep sense of moral outrage and zero tolerance are passionate about eliminating this evil, find themselves out on a limb being resented as eccentric mavericks who are rocking the boat.
