Data: Close to 10,000 Cases of Ragging Were Reported on The Centralised Anti-Ragging Portal Since 2012
In recent months, numerous instances of ragging in educational institutions, especially in medical and nursing colleges, have been reported across the country. On 26 July 2012, the Anti-Ragging Portal, www.antiragging.in, was inaugurated. The portal was developed by the UGC as part of its comprehensive strategy to prevent and address ragging in higher education institutions. Data from the portal indicates that close to 10,000 cases of ragging were reported on the portal since 2012.
In recent months, numerous instances of ragging in educational institutions, especially in medical and nursing colleges, have been reported across the country. These incidents, which often involve physical, emotional, or psychological harassment, have once again brought the issues of campus safety and student welfare to the forefront. Despite the presence of regulations and guidelines intended to curb such practices, the recurrence of these cases remains a serious concern.
Following the recommendations of the Raghavan Committee, which was established by the Supreme Court to address the issue of ragging in educational institutions, the National Anti-Ragging Helpline was launched in India on 15 June 2009. Since then, several measures have been introduced to make the process of reporting ragging incidents more accessible and responsive. In this story, we examine the various measures taken by the government to curb ragging and explain how students can register complaints. We also look into what the data from different sources reveals about the prevalence and nature of ragging incidents across the country.
Ragging cases have increased in recent years
According to data presented in Parliament, the number of ragging complaints recorded by the University Grants Commission (UGC) decreased from 640 in 2013 to 423 in 2015. The figures then increased steadily until 2019. In 2020, the number dropped to 219, likely due to the shift to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the complaints rose significantly in the following years, reaching 1094 in 2022.
Inconsistencies in the data published in the anti-ragging portal
On 26 July 2012, the Anti-Ragging Portal, www.antiragging.in, was inaugurated. The portal was developed by the UGC as part of its comprehensive strategy to prevent and address ragging in higher education institutions. The portal serves as a centralised platform for students to report incidents, submit mandatory affidavits, and access information related to anti-ragging measures.
The portal presents complaint-related data in two sections—one for reports filed until April 2022 and another for those submitted afterwards, each using a different reporting format. While the newer section is more structured and standardised, several issues remain across the dataset. These include the presence of test cases, which make up less than 0.5%, and inconsistencies in how complainants enter the names of institutions. For instance, the same college or university may appear in multiple formats, such as the university name alone, the university name with location, or the college name followed by the university and location. This variation makes it difficult to consolidate and analyse the data accurately.
In the older dataset, time stamps are available and sometimes show clusters of complaints from the same institution within short intervals. This could indicate multiple reports of the same incident or repeated attempts by a single individual, creating uncertainty. Although the newer data does not include time stamps, it improves reliability by using consistent names for states and authorities, which helps in organising the information more effectively.
Close to 10000 cases of ragging were registered in the anti-ragging portal in the last 14 years
Based on information gathered from the Anti Ragging Portal, the trend in registered ragging complaints is shown in the chart below. The overall pattern shows a decline in complaints after 2013, followed by a steady increase until 2019. There was a noticeable drop in 2020, and then a sharp rise in recent years. This trend is broadly similar to the data compiled from responses in Parliament. However, there is a difference of 218 complaints, with the portal reporting a higher number. Reasons for this discrepancy may be because of the test cases in the portal data and possible repeat complaints, where the same incident might have been reported multiple times by one or more individuals, as observed earlier.
NMC and AICTE account for more than 50% of the cases
Of the 3,246 ragging cases registered between April 2022 and 2025, over 53% were associated with either the National Medical Commission (NMC), which accounted for 894 cases, or the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), with 827 cases. The University Grants Commission (UGC) recorded 720 cases during the same period. When UGC is included, the combined share of cases rises to approximately 75%.
Medical colleges are hotspots for ragging cases
Cases of ragging registered with the National Medical Commission (NMC) typically refer to incidents reported from medical colleges and institutions regulated by it. As of March 2025, there were approximately 780 such colleges, with a combined undergraduate and postgraduate intake of fewer than 2 lakh students.
In contrast, the AICTE had approved 8,264 institutions in the academic year 2023–24, with a student intake of around 20 lakh. Despite this stark difference in scale, medical colleges accounted for more ragging complaints than AICTE-affiliated institutions. This suggests that medical colleges, although fewer in number and with a much smaller student population, are disproportionately affected by ragging and may be hotspots for such incidents.
More than 50 students either died, were murdered, or committed or attempted suicide
Between April 2022 and 2025, a total of 47 cases were reported in which the victim died by suicide. Additionally, there were 3 cases involving the victim’s death or other circumstances, 2 cases of murder, and 3 instances of attempted suicide. A total of 13 of these cases fell under the jurisdiction of the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), while another 13 were under the National Medical Commission (NMC).
The issue of underreporting of ragging cases on the portal should not be overlooked
It is important to note that the ragging complaints recorded over the past three years do not represent the total number of incidents across the country. These figures reflect only the cases reported to the National Anti-Ragging Helpline. In reality, many complaints are submitted directly to college authorities or the police, and all such instances may not appear in the Helpline’s database. As a result, they are not reflected in this analysis. Moreover, the actual number of serious ragging incidents is likely much higher, as only a small proportion of victims typically muster the courage to report. Many continue to suffer in silence due to fear of backlash, harassment, or threats to their safety.
Quality of the data published can be improved
There are also issues with the quality of data published on the portal. To improve the quality and completeness of data, the government must mandate that all institutions report every ragging complaint they receive, whether it is handled internally or escalated to the police, to a centralised platform like the Anti Ragging Portal. In addition, integration of institutional grievance redressal systems, police databases, and the helpline can help ensure that complaints are neither duplicated nor missed.
Further, the data available on the Anti-Ragging Portal should be properly standardised. This includes ensuring consistency (or selection from a dropdown) in the names of colleges and universities, and removing test entries. Additionally, the portal should consider providing more comprehensive information, such as details on the social background of victims, among others.
How to register a complaint on antiragging.in?
If you are a victim of ragging or have witnessed such an incident, you can file a complaint through the Anti-Ragging Portal by following these steps:
- Visit the Complaint Registration Page:
Go to the official complaint registration form at https://www.antiragging.in/complaint_register_form.html - Fill in the Required Details:
Provide information such as the victim’s name, mobile number, email ID, name of the institution, and detailed description of the incident. - Submit the Complaint:
After completing the form, submit it online. You may also send additional details or attachments via email to helpline@antiragging.in, ensuring you use the same email ID provided in the complaint form. - Track the Complaint:
You can monitor the status of your complaint through the portal to stay updated on any actions taken.
Alternatively, complaints can be lodged by calling the 24×7 toll-free National Anti-Ragging Helpline at 1800-180-5522 or by sending an email to helpline@antiragging.in.
For a visual guide on how to report and track complaints, you can refer to the following video provided by the UGC Anti-Ragging Monitoring Agency: Link