Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997

Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997 defines ragging as display of noisy, disorderly conduct or any act which causes or likely to cause physical and psychological or raise apprehension of fear or shame or embarrassment to a student, by teasing, abusing of, playing practical jokes on or causing hurt to such student or asking the student to do any act or perform something which the student will not in ordinary course willingly do.

As per the law, ragging or abetting in ragging are acts of indiscipline and crime which the Supreme Court of India in SLP No. 24295 of 2006, held as a preverse act having the effect of dehumanization of the individual affecting his or her self esteem and gave directions to treat ragging more or less at par with rape and other atrocities against women, Still treating persons belonging to reserved categories etc: fresh students, like other weaker sections of the society who need and deserve protection. It has recommended the following punishments which are strictly enforced in the University Grants Commission Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009.