Winking in colleges could attract punishment!

Bhubaneswar: Actress Priya Prakash Varrier’s cute winks might have turned her into an instant social media sensation but attempting something similar on college campuses in Odisha will surely drag you into trouble.

The higher education department, in an effort to prevent cases of ragging and eve teasing in educational institutes across the state, has brought in a few new rules.

“Ragging in any form will not be tolerated in colleges. Even eve teasing, verbal abuse and winking at a girl will invite strict action,”  Higher Education Minister Ananta Das said today.

"Stringent action will be taken against students involved in such act. If need arises, the students will be expelled as well," Das said, adding that a circular regarding this will soon be issued to all educational institutions by the Higher Education Department.

Earlier on July 23, the Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, in response to a written question in the Rajya Sabha, had said that 47 ragging cases were reported in Odisha in 2017 against 30 cases in 2015 and 28 in 2016. A total of 1,839 complaints of ragging were received by the UGC in the last three years.

Out of the total ragging incidents, students have been punished in 812 cases, including suspension in 309 cases, Javadekar had stated.

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On the other hand, replying to a query on HRD Ministry’s report on ragging, Das had said that he would comment on the matter only after getting a detailed report.