Anonymous complaints, audio reports: Kerala introduces new mechanism to tackle campus ragging

Kerala is planning to establish 300 centers across the state to promote scientific thinking among 15 lakh young people, alongside introducing a mobile application that will allow students to anonymously report ragging and other problems faced on college campuses.

Chief Minister V D Satheesan will launch both initiatives at Government Women's College in Thiruvananthapuram. The programs are aimed at strengthening scientific awareness among students, encouraging a spirit of inquiry and improving safety, welfare and support systems in higher education institutions.

According to an official statement, the Chief Minister will inaugurate the first sub-center of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Scientific Temper. Higher Education Minister Roji M John will preside over the event, which will also be attended by Transport Minister C P John.

The scientific awareness initiative, led by the Kerala State Higher Education Council, seeks to promote scientific thinking, humanism and a spirit of inquiry among students as well as the wider public, Higher Education Minister Roji M John said.

Under the program, the government plans to reach 15 lakh young people through 300 centers established across Kerala. The initiative will also provide online courses on scientific temper, supported by handbooks and short educational videos to make scientific concepts more accessible to students and the public.

An online course developed in association with the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT) will also be launched as part of the programme. The course is expected to contribute to the initiative's broader objective of developing scientific awareness and encouraging students to approach issues through reasoning and evidence.

Kerala to launch anonymous campus complaint app

Alongside the scientific awareness program, the Kerala government will introduce the Siddharth Student Welfare App, a mobile-based platform designed to provide students with a confidential mechanism to report ragging and other problems within higher education institutions.

The application will allow students to submit complaints without revealing their identities, giving them an alternative channel to report incidents they may otherwise hesitate to bring to the attention of college authorities.

In addition to text-based complaints, the platform will include a facility for students to record audio complaints anonymously. It will also alert the concerned authorities about safety-related issues, enabling them to take note of complaints and address matters requiring attention.

The application has been named after J S Sidharthan, a 20-year-old veterinary student from Nedumangad who allegedly died by suicide in February 2024 after facing ragging by fellow students at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Pookode, Wayanad.

The incident had brought renewed attention to the problem of ragging in educational institutions and the need for effective mechanisms through which students can report harassment and seek institutional intervention.

The Higher Education Minister also said that the state government is examining a draft of the proposed Siddharth Anti-Ragging Act. The legislation is intended to establish a legal framework for dealing with ragging cases and provide for the formation of a state anti-ragging commission.

The proposed law is expected to strengthen the institutional mechanism for addressing ragging complaints and provide a structured framework for tackling such incidents in higher education institutions across Kerala.

Kerala government to release student aspiration survey

The state government will also release a Student Aspiration Survey to gather information about the expectations, interests and aspirations of students pursuing higher education in Kerala.

The survey is intended to help the government understand what students expect from the higher education system and identify their priorities and concerns. Its findings could also provide insights into areas requiring attention while planning policies and initiatives for the sector.

According to the Higher Education Minister, the scientific awareness centers, student welfare application and aspiration survey are part of the government's broader efforts to improve the higher education environment.

Through these initiatives, the state aims to encourage scientific awareness and critical thinking, strengthen mechanisms for student protection and welfare, and make colleges and universities safer and more student-friendly spaces.