Supreme Court declines PIL seeking uniform anti-ragging law for schools

India’s Supreme Court has declined to entertain a public-interest litigation seeking a central law and uniform national guidelines against bullying and ragging in schools and pre-university institutions. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana said the court had already delivered a judgment addressing the issues raised in the petition.

The bench said a fresh petition could not be entertained merely to implement those earlier directions. It nevertheless allowed counsel for petitioner Yadavi Aditya Rasiwasiya to make a representation to the authorities concerned. The petition named the Centre, all states and Union Territories, the Central Board of Secondary Education and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations as parties.

It sought directions requiring the Union ministries to frame and implement central legislation addressing bullying and ragging in schools and pre-university institutions. It also requested supplementary guidelines that schools would have to follow when receiving and disposing of complaints. The petitioner further asked the court to direct all central and state education boards to introduce a compulsory curriculum subject dealing with the harms caused by bullying and ragging.

The court’s decision did not, according to the supplied material, invalidate existing anti-ragging measures. Rather, the bench refused to take up the new PIL because it considered the subject already covered by an earlier judgment. The petitioner retains the option of approaching the authorities through a representation.