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Ragging takes form of grooming exercise Tuesday, July 31, 2001

By AMIT MUKHERJEE, THE TIMES OF INDIA NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD: Sporting black trousers, white shirt and black shoes, their heads nearly tonsured and thin black neck-ties hanging from their buttoned collars, they nervously walk up to their institute every morning on the look-out for nasty seniors .

These are the first-year students of the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition, Ahmedabad, who are in the second week of their session, trying to conform to the strict dress code and hair-do imposed not by the college but their seniors.

While most carry on with their day-to-day activities abiding by the laid norms, some rebellious freshers often revolt against such restrictions which they call ragging.

"We have been directed not to wear anything other than the specified dress and it is tough if a senior spots you loitering in the evening - he may ask you to wash his clothes!" says a first year student from Mumbai.

And when they meet a senior on the way, they have to bow with the salutation "Your highness, most respected sir".

While the boys have their hair closely cropped _ "zero cut" as it is called _ the girls have been asked to oil their hair and comb it into two side pleats with red and blue ribbon knots. A dress code of simple 'salwar kammez' with 'dupatta' and canvas shoes has been prescribed.

But the girls revolted. One of the student organisations came to know about this and warned the seniors against any high-handed behaviour.

The seniors however, do not take kindly to interference from outsiders.

"The grooming is essential for the freshers as we only try to tune them up for the hospitality industry," claims a third-year student, who hails from Jaipur. He maintains that the exercise is just to make the freshers realise they should be ready for rough treatment in the hospitality industry from customers and have to keep on smiling even in adversity.

The seniors point out that the treatment faced by the current batch of freshers is nothing in comparison to the grilling they had to undergo a couple of years back.

Meanwhile, Principal G Upadhyay has come out against ragging, keeping in mind the unpleasant events of the past. He has put up a notice against ragging on notice board, which cites the Supreme Court ruling banning ragging, labelling it as an offence liable to imprisonment and/or fine.

But the freshers can't still ignore the code. The college authorities obviously won't be around every time some robust seniors confront them.

"If the students cannot take it in the right spirit, such practices should be disallowed", says Upadhyay. On the submissions of senior students that they are actually trying to groom the students for the hospitality industry, Upadhayay retorts, "There are experienced faculty members who can take care of this."

Upadhyay says the code of conduct could become an ego hassle for both the seniors and the freshers and there have been occasions where the ragging had acquired unpleasant dimensions.

The Seniors have made it clear to the freshers that if they do not conform to the 'grooming exercise' they will not be made part of any function or gatherings.

Some freshers, too, have charitable comments to offer about the seniors. "They (seniors) are extremely helpful as far as extending help in academics is concerned," says an obedient fresher who feels the freshers of today would be doing the same thing as 'seniors' next year.

News Source : Times Of India News Service [ Lightning News ]

 

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