Abstract:
Ragging, a form of systemic harassment and abuse within higher educational
institutions all over the world, has evolved into a serious social and legal concern.
Disguised in the form of familiarisation of new entrants, the severe forms of ragging
often involve physical and psychological harm to students, often causing human
rights violations to the victim. Despite the wide range of legislative, institutional, and
administrative efforts taken by the governments and authorities to eradicate the
violent forms of ragging, the practices are still prevalent in many countries, and Sri
Lanka is not an exception. This underscores the need for a comprehensive
examination of the legal framework related to ragging in Sri Lanka. The main
objective of this research is to critically analyse the legal framework related to ragging
in Sri Lanka to identify the challenging gaps in the legal framework and enforcement
mechanisms and provide recommendations to strengthen the law. Accordingly, the
study explores the scope, effectiveness, gaps, and human rights compatibility of Sri
Lanka’s legal framework on ragging. Additionally, the study focuses on the practical
implications of this legislation on individuals and society. This study focuses on the
research question of whether prevailing laws related to ragging are effective in
combating ragging in Sri Lanka. This research adopts a doctrinal legal research
methodology relying on primary sources, including the Prohibition of Ragging Act
No. 20 of 1998, the 1978 Constitution, case laws, and international legal instruments,
and secondary sources encompassing books and journal articles. Results revealed that
while Sri Lanka has a specific legal instrument to address ragging, it remains largely
ineffective due to weak enforcement, inadequate victim protection, and the lack of
institutional responsiveness. Therefore, the study recommends a multidimensional
approach to reform that includes legal amendments, awareness programmes, capacity
building for institutional authorities, and the creation of safe and confidential
reporting mechanisms. Furthermore, this research contributes to the ongoing legal
and policy discussions by offering a human rights-based analysis of ragging and
practical reforms to protect students and uphold the rule of law in educational
institutions.
