A study to assess the effectiveness of PTP on knowledge regarding ragging and anti-ragging measures among the adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Since ancient times Indian learning institutions taught about mutual respect in a respectful and peaceful manner such as Takahashila, Nalanda, Vikramshila, Jagaddala, Puspagiri, Mahavihara etc. But as the time passes, it resulted in introduction of canning (ragging) i.e. ill psychological tendency of judging others by insulting, inflicting pain and sometimes practicing mental and physical torture which resulted in physical and mental damage. Initially, started in English colleges and universities but slowly and steadily it spread and corrupted almost entire Indian educational institutions. The excuse was to teach the social hierarchy in early career, and also learn other important values in life as if they were mature enough to know anything about values and hierarchy.^1-2 Many colleges such as AIIMS and Christian Medical College had an unpleasant history of ragging, with most of the alumni regarding the time of ragging as the best of their life which was in fact the custom of canning (ragging) was indeed poorly thought out. A report from 2007 highlights 42 instances of physical injury, and reports on ten deaths purportedly the result of ragging.^3-5

Ragging has reportedly caused at least 30-31 deaths in the last years. In the 2007 session, approximately 7 ragging deaths have been reported. In addition, a number of freshmen were severely traumatized to the extent that they were admitted to mental institutions. Ragging in India commonly involves serious abuses and clear violations of human rights.⁶ Often media reports and others unearth that it goes on, in many institutions, in the infamous Abu Ghraib style: and on innocent victims.² In many colleges, like Birla Institute of Technology and Science and IITs, ragging has been strictly banned and is proving effective. However, this ban has not been the case elsewhere, as seen by the number of ragging cases still reported by the media. Ragging involves gross violations of basic human rights. The seniors are known to torture juniors and by this those seniors get some kind of sadistic pleasures.⁷

Though ragging has ruined the lives of many, resistance against it has grown up only recently. Several Indian states have made legislatures banning ragging, and the Supreme Court of India has taken a strong stand to curb ragging. Ragging has been declared a criminal offence. The Indian civil society has also started to mount resistance, only recently.^8-9

But in India, lagging is more infamous for its ubiquitous presence in the educational institutions. According to the observations by the Dr. Raghavan committee, which has been constructed by the union human resource development ministry on the orders of the Supreme Court of India, the medical colleges are the worst affected in India. However, the anti-ragging NGO, society against Violence in Education (SAVE) has supported that ragging is also widely and dangerously prevalent in engineering and other institutions, mainly in the hostels.¹⁰

The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a planned teaching programme on knowledge regarding ragging and anti-ragging measures among adolescents in selected schools and junior colleges, by assessing their existing knowledge, evaluating the effectiveness of the planned teaching programme, and determining the association between pre-test knowledge and selected demographic variables. It was assumed that the students had inadequate knowledge regarding ragging and anti-ragging measures.

METHODS

Population

The population of the present study comprised of 10^th, 11^th and 12^th standard students of New English school.

Sample size

A sample is a group of population that has been selected to represent the population of interest of 120 students.

Sampling technique

A sample is a medium portion of population selected to participate in the research study. The selection of subjects or sampling units from a population using random procedure with certain purpose (Polit and hungler 1999). In the present study, 120 students of 10^th, 11^th and 12^th standard students were selected from New English School.

Research design

One group pre-test post-test design was used.

Research study period

The study was conducted in two phases (Phase I: 10^th November 2025 to 21^st November 2025 and Phase II: 02^nd December 2025 to 16^th December 2025).

Place of study

The study was conducted among 10^th standard students from New English School, 11^th and 12^th Standard students from Dr. Bapuji Salunkhe College of Arts, Commerce and Science, Sangli, Maharashtra, India.

Sample selection criteria

Inclusion criteria

The study participants include adolescents who are adolescents studying in selected schools and junior colleges; are within the age group of 13-18 years; are studying in the selected classes/standards identified for the study; are able to understand Marathi and/or English; are present at the time of data collection; are willing to participate in the study.

Exclusion criteria

The study participants will exclude adolescents who are absent on the day of the pre-test or planned teaching programme; have previously participated in a structured educational programme specifically related to ragging and anti-ragging measures immediately before the study; are not available for the required post-test assessment.

Data collection technique

The present study was aimed assessing the effectiveness of planned teaching programme on knowledge regarding ragging and anti-ragging measures among the adolescents in selected school and junior colleges.

The researcher surveyed the selected school and college for the adolescents to assess the knowledge regarding ragging and anti-ragging measures according to the criteria. An informed consent was taken from the students of school and college. A structured questionnaire was prepared and data was collected.

RESULTS

Table 1 presents the distribution of participants according to their demographic characteristics including age, education class, and gender. With regard to age, the majority of participants, 88 (73.33%), were in the age group of 15-17 years, followed by 32 (26.66%) participants in the age group of 17-19 years. None of the participants belonged to the 19-21 years’ age group. In terms of educational status, the participants were equally distributed across all three classes, with 40 (33.33%) students each from 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th standards, indicating a balanced representation from each educational level. Regarding gender, the majority of participants were female, accounting for 73 (60.83%), while 47 (39.16%) were male. Overall, the findings indicate that most participants were younger adolescents (15-17 years), equally represented across educational levels, and predominantly female.

Table 2 depicts the distribution of participants according to their level of knowledge regarding ragging and anti-ragging measures.

It is observed that half of the participants, 60 (50%), had poor knowledge, indicating a lack of adequate awareness about ragging and its preventive measures. Additionally, 34 (28.33%) participants demonstrated an average level of knowledge. Only 26 (21.66%) participants had good knowledge regarding ragging and anti-ragging measures.

Overall, the findings reveal that the majority of participants possessed poor to average knowledge, highlighting the need for educational interventions to improve awareness and understanding of ragging and anti-ragging measures among adolescent students.

Table 3 shows the comparison of pre-test and post-test levels of knowledge regarding ragging and anti-ragging measures among the participants.

In the pre-test, the majority of participants, 60 (50%), had poor knowledge, which decreased markedly to 23 (19.16%) in the post-test. The proportion of participants with average knowledge increased from 34 (28.33%) in the pre-test to 40 (33.33%) in the post-test. Notably, the number of participants with good knowledge showed a substantial increase from 26 (21.66%) in the pre-test to 57 (47.50%) in the post-test. Overall, the findings indicate a significant improvement in knowledge levels after the planned teaching programme, with a considerable reduction in poor knowledge and a corresponding increase in good knowledge. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the planned teaching programme in enhancing awareness about ragging and anti-ragging measures among the participants.

Table 4 depicts the association between pre-test knowledge regarding ragging and anti-ragging measures and selected demographic variables such as age, education, and gender. With regard to age, the calculated p-value (0.8) indicates that there is no statistically significant association between age and the level of knowledge among participants. This shows that knowledge levels were similar across different age groups.

In terms of educational status, the p-value (1.4) also reveals no significant association between education and pre-test knowledge levels. This suggests that students from 10th, 11th, and 12th standards had comparable levels of knowledge regarding ragging and anti-ragging measures. Similarly, for gender, the p-value (0.9) indicates no statistically significant association between gender and knowledge levels. Both male and female participants demonstrated similar levels of knowledge in the pre-test.

Overall, the findings show that there is no significant association between pre-test knowledge and selected demographic variables, indicating that knowledge regarding ragging and anti-ragging measures was independent of age, education, and gender among the participants.

DISCUSSION

The present study highlights the importance of educational interventions in improving awareness about ragging and anti-ragging measures among adolescents. The demographic findings revealed that the majority of participants were in the age group of 15-17 years and were equally distributed across educational levels. Female participants constituted a higher proportion compared to males. These findings suggest that the sample was representative of adolescent students in school settings.^11-12

The pre-test results indicated that a significant proportion of students had poor knowledge regarding ragging and anti-ragging measures. This lack of awareness may expose students to the risks associated with ragging, including psychological trauma and physical harm. These findings are consistent with previous studies that reported inadequate knowledge among students regarding anti-ragging laws and preventive strategies.¹³ Following the planned teaching programme, there was a marked improvement in knowledge levels. The reduction in poor knowledge and increase in good knowledge clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the intervention. This suggests that structured educational programmes play a crucial role in enhancing students’ understanding and awareness.¹⁴

The study also found no significant association between pre-test knowledge and demographic variables such as age, education, and gender. This indicates that lack of awareness about ragging is a common issue across different groups of adolescents and is not influenced by these factors. Overall, the findings emphasize the need for continuous awareness programmes and strict implementation of anti-ragging policies in educational institutions.¹⁵

Limitations

The study was conducted only among adolescents studying in selected schools and junior colleges; therefore, the findings may not be generalizable to adolescents from all schools and junior colleges. The study was restricted to selected educational institutions in a particular geographical area. Hence, the findings may differ in other regions or educational settings.

CONCLUSION

The study concludes that adolescents had inadequate knowledge regarding ragging and anti-ragging measures prior to the intervention. The planned teaching programme proved to be highly effective in improving their knowledge levels. There was a significant increase in good knowledge and a decrease in poor knowledge after the intervention. Additionally, demographic variables did not influence the knowledge levels, indicating a universal need for awareness among students. Therefore, it is recommended that regular educational programmes, awareness campaigns, and strict enforcement of anti-ragging laws should be implemented in schools and colleges to prevent ragging and ensure a safe and supportive learning environment.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors would like to express gratitude to the survey collaborators. Additionally, the authors are immensely grateful to their colleagues and team members who supported them in this research study.

Funding: No funding sources

Conflict of interest: None declared

Ethical approval: The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee

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