Guwahati, March 26: Gauhati University (GU) has been identified as one of the top eight universities across the country as ragging hotspots.

The GU registered a total number of 15 complaints whereas Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology in Kolkata with 75 complaints topped the list of States as ragging hotspots between 2022-24.

Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University in Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) registered 75 complaints, followed by Banaras Hindu University (Varanasi) 42, University of Lucknow (Lucknow) 40, Berhampur University (Odisha) 31, University of Allahabad (Allahabad) 21, and Jadavpur University in Kolkata registering 16 complaints of ragging.

The "State of Ragging in India 2022-24" report, published by the Society Against Violence in Education (SAVE) here on Tuesday provides a comprehensive analysis of ragging incidents reported across Indian educational institutions during the period 2022-2024.

Based on 3,156 complaints registered at the National Anti- Ragging Helpline from 1,946 colleges, the report identifies key trends, high-risk institutions, and the severity of ragging-related cases.

According to the findings, medical colleges account for 38.6 per cent of total complaints, 35.4 per cent of serious complaints, and 45.1 per cent of ragging-related deaths, despite making up only 1.1 per cent of total students in India.

A total of 51 deaths occurred between 2022 and 2024, with 20 deaths in 2024 alone, surpassing student suicides in Kota for that year. "The lack of media attention and public discourse on ragging deaths underscores the urgent need for action," the report heighted.

University of Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), MKCG Medical College (Odisha), Banaras Hindu University Campus (Uttar Pradesh), Indian Institute of Technology (Kharagpur), MGM Medical College & Hospital (Jharkhand) are the top five colleges with most complaints in 2024.

Similarly, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical University (Uttar Pradesh), Bihar Engineering University (Bihar), Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (West Bengal), Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University, University of Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) are the top five universities with most complaints in 2024.

According to the report, MKCG Medical College and Hospital (Odisha), Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru Memorial Medical College Raipur (Chhattisgarh) Vardhman Institute of Medical Sciences Pavapuri (Bihar), State Tak-meel-Ut-Tib College & Hospital, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) and Maulana Azad Medical College (New Delhi) are the top five medical colleges with most complaints between 2022-24.

The report further gives several key recommendations to effectively curb the menace of ragging in India.

The foremost recommendation being that the National Anti-Ragging Helpline should accept anonymous complaints to protect victims' identities. Also, the colleges must establish Anti-Ragging Squads with dedicated security guards, whose contact details should be shared with the freshers.

"CCTV surveillance in hostels should be monitored by security personnel, anti-ragging committees, and parents," the report suggested.

The freshers, according to the report, should be accommodated in separate hostels as per UGC and NMC regulations, and the institutions must file police complaints within 24 hours for serious ragging cases.

The Health Ministry should also organize annual anti-ragging conventions inviting anti-ragging committee heads from all the 700+ medical colleges, it said.

"Freshers and their parents should have access to contact details of senior students' parents," the report suggested.