In view of the recent happenings in Kgp :
Should you get stuck in semantics and assume any sort of interaction between a senior and junior can be categorised as ragging?
What happens to a 2nd year guy entering into Patel Hall of Residence or any hostel in IIT Kharagpur cannot be called ragging.
Ragging, especially in case of engineering colleges has gruesome images of countless slaps till you are red in the face, and acts that are meant to degrade the individual.
When a second year enters a senior hostel for the first time of his life, he has been told enough number of horror stories to have more than just an apprehension of entering the hostel, he is petrified, I know because I have been through it myself.
Since the initiation to the hall is carried out almost surreptitiously it gives the impression that people carrying out the activities are fulfilling some sort of carnal desire in troubling the new entrant.
Here is what is expected of a second year to do and I would like one individual to stand up and tell me that this is not something that one doesn't need in life, or for someone who's been through the process, that he would have learnt all this all by himself:
1. He's expected to participate in as many sports and socio-cultural events as possible.
2. He's expected to know each of his batchmates names.
3. He's expected to know all his seniors names
It is an extremely proud moment when a senior comes upto you and says, you don't have to call me sir or bhaiya or anything of that sort, the only difference between you and me is that I was born a year or so before you. When a guy you look upto, comes to you and says this, believe me it feels really great. Almost each and every senior of mine in Kgp said this to me. I still can't forget the feeling.
4. He's expected to know the names of all the hostel staff including the mess staff and refer to them by their name and with proper respect.
5. He's expected not to stay glued to the computer at all times.
If learning all these is called ragging, well then I've been ragged all my life, first by my parents, now at work, but then again i'm having a ball of a time being ragged and consider myself a better individual for it.
Anyone reading this and not agreeing to what I say is free to get in touch with me.
