Coalition to Uproot Ragging from Education (CURE)

A person starts his journey from the cradle, where all means for bringing an easy-to-achieve happiness to him are made available. Soon a phase comes, when moral stories and sometimes glamorous fairy tales totally replacing them strike a liking with kids. Though these stories are told, they are not instilled in the kid. Generally the stories focus on ‘triumph of truth', but triumph is the one to be emphasized and truth takes a back seat. ‘Triumph only triumphs' is the golden rule. This motto spreads its wings, fathom new heights once the school starts. Performance, triumph and success is all the teacher wants and parents give their heart to. Though initially the means were important, but then “All's well that ends well”.

No doubt that success is important and might be indispensable in the real frame, but the problem lies where it is considered the only yardstick to assess one's character. Once again, as the end point is the only object of interest, the means employed to achieve it loose their luster. I remember once talking to a friend about a person who used to go in our bus. This person, a twelfth class student used to rag new eleventh class students or any newcomers in the bus. I mentioned that I hated that person though I never had to face anything from him. My friend was quick to mention, “You know, he has gone to States”. The hell I am concerned where he went, for me his moral character was the most important.

When all energy is focused in one direction, other areas are bound to suffer. No attempt is made to know the truth, what is right and what's not because the person is fully satisfied by the satisfaction of the society, which is fully satisfied by his success. On the other hand, GenerationX consider these as abstract concepts and gets into peels of laughter on their mere mention.

Fun is the second thing needed by the person. As its means and meaning is never emphasized, students find their own ways to achieve it. Fun is needed to shed off all anxieties and tension involved in making an attempt to be successful. And many a times fun is needed for the sake of it. But unfortunately its limits are not defined.

Things that bring fun to the teens in cities can be well adjudged by the popular serial " (V) Dares You ". In one of the very first episodes aired, a young man was dared to strip himself stark naked in a disco which also had women. This was followed by an episode where a poverty stricken teenager was lifted off the streets and pressured to get his eyebrows, lips and nipples pierced. In another one, a woman puts a razor to her legs in order to shave them in South Extension market of Delhi . If the media reflects the demand of teenagers, then one can see what is actual liking of the present generation.

At this juncture, one may like to challenge me in a philosophical debate as to the definition of success, fun or reality being that ‘ truth only succeeds '. Presently, in this analysis, the terms I am using have their most common meaning as understood by majority of people. I am using a realist and practical approach as far as the terminology is concerned. If still some philosophical doubts come up, send me an email. Hence I clarify and continue...

The once-upon-a-time stories were told once upon a time and no more are they emphasized. A newspaper becomes important as it increases the general knowledge, the television as it gives exposure, fiction as they widen imagination, but a copy Bhagwad Gita or Quran or Guru Granth Sahib is deemed useless, they are just theories not to be brought in real life. These things have to be greeted (may be) daily, but from far. Don't you dare venture near it.

Once again not going in to the philosophy of karmic cycle I can assure you this much that what you do with the society, you will get the same back (with interest), as you yourself form the society. Here lies the root cause of the trouble: the changing priorities.

Coming back to our original topic, one should think how this phenomenon actually entered the society. FUN must have been the reason and fun is the reason. But had the limit of fun been defined, had the sense of right and wrong been properly instilled in children, had SUCCESS not been the only essence of life, had we been able to see across it, the youth would have had a different perspective. Life has many important aspects like success, truthfulness, honesty, practical ahimsa, etc. They all need the same accelerating force for an ideal society, a `Ram Rajya' atleast for the youth.

The phenomenon of ragging gets its breath from the fact that the priorities in mind of the young are well defined, which are mainly success and endless fun. If they get success, all they want now is fun. And if they get no or incomplete success, then frustration leads them to fulfill their desires in any way. Only they don't get the opportunity. And when a tradition gives them the opportunity and saves them from the social stigma (which still exists somewhere…), they fulfill their desires with some gruesome acts under the disguise of ragging.

So an ill-defined concept of fun and a less thought of concept of moral values results in this bizarre phenomenon.