The Government will take steps to enroll students who left the higher education system due to ragging, back into state-run universities, Higher Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena said.
The Minister will meet relevant officials of the University Grants Commission (UGC) next week to discuss matters relating to the new program. He also plans to call for a report from the Commission to look into the possibility of re-enrolling the students who dropped out due to harassment in state-run universities.
“Intelligence reports have shown that at least 2,000 students have left state universities due to ragging incidents up to last year,” Minister Gunawardena said adding that, “a student selected to the Medical Faculty and who had to leave due to ragging could be working as a bus conductor now. We want to give these persons their missed opportunities”.
He said they are planning to place a public notice in newspapers soon calling for victims of ragging who left the universities to write to the UGC.
This move comes amidst the arrest of 12 students attached to the University of Colombo over severely assaulting another student. The suspects were later remanded till Monday (13). Two students were treated for injuries following the incident.
Minister Gunawardena said leaders of the Inter-University Students’ Federation have pledged to aid the Government to curb ragging in higher education institutes.
“We have also advised Vice-Chancellors and Lecturers to inform the police immediately when they receive complaints relating to ragging and harassment. They are told not to get politicians or the university administrations involved,” he added.