India finally has strict “anti ragging” laws that lead to immediate arrests. The arrests are now becoming a deterrent for many. However, I am shocked to find that the very list of acts that are considered “ragging” are at most “bullying” at boarding schools and often the boys are let off with a warning or as the maximum punishment they are suspended or asked to be withdrawn. Why should the Indian penal laws not be applied to a school? You may say that the school boys are only in late teens but do not forget that there are several crimes in various cities including murders which are committed by teenagers today. Teachers cannot hit a boy, cane a boy or even give him unnecessary harsher punishments. But I have heard of boys being kicked and hit by hockey sticks for not cheering loudly for the house and in a boarding school, a boy was beaten up for playing badly in the game that led to the house losing. One of the boys almost lost his hearing when slapped so hard that his eardrums… One was kicked last year on his hand that he suffered a fracture but had to make up a story to the school hospital due to pressure from the seniors and the regular drama around “sneaking” that leads to boycotts. If bullying is “tradition” which cannot be reported, heck with such a tradition.
In my opinion, bullying in boarding residential schools are far far worse than the ragging that happens in colleges. Ragging lasts for a few weeks or at most a few months and ends with the “freshers night”, while bullying leads to juniors living under fear for years and then waiting for their turn to become seniors so that they can find their “slaves”. Further the victims of bullying are often younger in age too.
I hope it will helps you