New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has said
that students accused of ragging should not be expelled for
life from college as it will ruin their career and might turn
them into anti-social elements.
"A student in the hands of principal/head is a child in
the hands of a parent and a parent would never want the career
of a child to be completely destroyed by expulsion which
necessarily renders him unfit for any other career," Justice
Rajiv S Endlaw said.
The court made the observations while directing Delhi
University to re-admit two of its students who were expelled
for indulging in ragging in 2009.
"No college would be willing to grant them admission to
enable them to complete their studies thereby leading to such
frustration and disappointment or despondency which may lead
even either to suicide or turn them into anti-social
elements," the court said.
Directing the University and Kirori Mal College to
re-admit the final-year students, the court said that a harsh
order like expulsion results in bitterness which many a time
might turn a student into an anti-social element.
The court passed the order on a plea of students who said
that they have already lost one year and their life and career
would be ruined if they are not allowed to complete the course
as no other college would admit them.
The petitioners had been punished under the
newly-promulgated UGC regulations to prevent ragging and an
FIR had also been registered against them.
Granting relief to the students, the court said, "To
allow the punishment as meted out to stand would also amount
to nullifying what this court had attempted to do by quashing
the FIR against the petitioners. Not only the petitioners
would remain without degree of graduation but their future
prospects would also be seriously hampered."
"The punishment of expulsion from the college and
consequent debarring from admission to any other institution
is modified to that of rustication from the college for the
academic session 2009-10. The petitioners would thus be
entitled to be readmitted to the college on complying with
necessary formalities," the court said.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, September 12, 2010, 10:23