Ragging must end in all educational institutions: Patil

NEW DELHI - President Pratibha Patil on Sunday exhorted teachers to prevent ragging from taking root in any education establishment in the country.

Presenting national awards to teachers on the occasion of Teachers’Day, which is observed every year on September 5, Patil said about ragging: “It must be strongly condemned and should not take place in any institutions of the country. You have a role in preventing it.”

“Today, one sees the disturbing trend of ragging in our institutes of higher education. I have often said this practice is not healthy, as it is a manifestation of intolerance on the part of senior students towards their juniors,” the president said during the function, where about 374 teachers were felicitated.

The President also recalled her visit to Russia on September 5 last year, saying that at that time she was very “impressed” with a school in St. Petersburg, which was established on the 10th anniversary of India’s independence. I was greatly impressed with the interest among the students and the teachers of this school in a foreign country about our culture. I believe that an appreciation of diversity that exists in our world invariably broadens horizons and promotes understanding between people,” she said.

She observed that the Right to Education Act has placed greater responsibility on all stakeholders, and therefore, the challenge before teachers is to ensure that children actively participate in school activities.

“Teachers particularly in rural and distant areas should hold classes regularly and ask students to attend school everyday. They should remain in contact with parents and pay personal attention to the difficulties that their students may face,” she said.

Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal appealed to state governments to prepare enforceable rules to ensure a rational and transparent system of postings and transfers in light of the implementation of the RTE Act.

“It should also be kept in mind that women teachers have demanding domestic responsibilities and their special circumstances should be given due consideration,” he said.

Sibal said the RTE also lays emphasis on full involvement of teachers in school management committee. He said the country can ill afford to tolerate aberrations like willful absence from duty or appointment of substitute teachers.

“There should be no compromise with the errant behaviour of teachers,” he said. (ANI)