Ragging: Things You Should (Not) Know

The first thing you should know is that ragging is a term, which originates from South Asia and is commonly used to describe some challenges, rituals, and other competitions each first-year student should go through to become an equal member of a particular community. It mostly has different names in different countries, for example, hazing in the USA, initiation ceremonies in the UK, or bastardization in Australia. Although it may sound different, the main sense is the same - a way to challenge newcomers using various weird and funny activities.

Origin

Ragging was a typical way to welcome a first-year student in different areas - a sports team, army, Greek letter organization, etc. It should be a friendly unofficial way to get acquainted with all members in a particular community. However, it started to cause a lot of problems later on, especially at schools, colleges, universities, and dormitories. That is why very soon it has become illegal and forbidden.

How Is It Related to Us?

Well, one of the main problems we have at educational institutions is  bullying. Some may say that bullying impersonates ragging because ragging usually includes bullying. That is why teachers and professors face so many difficulties in building a polite relationship among students.

Effects on Students

Nowadays, ragging includes different forms of insults - sexual, racial, age, physical, mental, psychological, etc. Ragging does not contribute to a better atmosphere and equality among students anymore. The way that senior students treat newcomers is the way that leads to aggression, misfortune, and depression. First-year students often suffer physically and mentally when someone forces them to cope with a wide range of insults. Such students face even more struggles to become outstanding students. Usually, they become pretty private persons, full of fears, psychological problems, and negative emotions.

What is more, such students follow the behavior of their offenders and very soon become offenders themselves. Of course, such a ragging cycle cannot promote the values of equality, democracy, and individuality. Such students cannot make a strong family or friendship. They become shy, unconfident, and suicidal.

Teachers and Professors Role

Students suffering from permanent bullying and ragging cannot cope with their fears and troubles alone. Therefore, it is highly important for teachers to support such students and help them to struggle with the results of bullying. Sometimes, it is enough just to talk to such students or their parents. However, usually, it is not so easy, and few students want to go to the psychologist or social worker. In this case, it may be effective to run some lectures on bullying, its effects, and ways on how to avoid it. Depending on the age, you may choose a proper strategy and prevent harmful effects. Therefore, ragging and bullying are a vital part of the modern educational process, which causes a negative impact on students’ self-esteem, learning achievement, and life, teachers should be conscious, as well as detect and ban any signs of bullying or ragging in their classes. Furthermore, offenders also need help to cope with their anger and uncertainty, which have deep roots in the earlier offense.

Summary

To sum up, knowing about ragging and bullying may help you in both ways since you are a victim, you should not be afraid to ask for help your parents, teachers, or friends, and if you are an offender, you should realize the way you treat someone now may be the way others will treat your children then. We highly encourage you to be respectful of other people no matter their race, religion, sex, etc. Make this world happier and as Selena Gomes sings "kill them with kindness."