What has the government done to minimize university ragging ?

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Minister of City Planning, Water Supply and Higher Education Rauff Hakeem commented on the measures taken against ragging happening in universities in parliament. He said that the government is now adopting a zero-tolerance policy because a safe and conducive environment devoid of ragging and sexual and gender-based violence in universities is essential for the development of higher education. The minister further said that the major steps taken by the government in 2018 were online ragging and sexual gender-based violence addressing mechanism at the UGC and also a 24-hour hotline to report on any such matters. He also said that they have seen an increased number of affected students and staff accessing this complaint system and visiting the centre to make confidential complaints and similarly benefitting when the perpetrators are appropriately punished. The Minister also said that they have piloted a move to introduce an emergency safety mobile app in case of any emergency situations including ragging and sexual and gender-based violence. He added that the policy makers, planners, administrators, and academia within the university system are all allowed and encouraged to handle the UGC database on ragging which is also linked to the database in universities.