Ragging is a form of abuse on newcomers to educational institutions in India,Pakistan,Sri Lanka and in many other countries. It is similar to the Western form, known as hazing, but is commonly much more severe.

Ragging may have started as a harmless way of breaking the ice and welcoming freshers to the University by the Seniors. Over time ragging has become a series of complex rituals aimed at degrading, demeaning and demoralizing freshers. New entrants, are subjected to mental, physical and sometimes sexual abuse at the hands of their seniors. Freshers, who are in an entirely unfamiliar evironment, are helpless against the highly organized group of thugs harassing them. A group of Seniors are specially trained to brainwash the juniors and turn them into mindless puppets who would fit in to the existing Sub Culture within the University. A Sub Culture that has been engineered by a particular political party to fulfill it's own political ambitions.

Legal Definition

Ragging means the doing of any act which causes, or is likely to cause any physical, psychological or physiological harm of apprehension or shame or embarrassment to a student, and includes– (a) teasing or abusing of playing Practical joke on, or causing hurt to any student. or (b) asking any student to do any act, or perform any thing, which he/she would not, in the ordinary course, be willing to do or perform.