THE MAHARASHTRA PROHIBITION OF RAGGING ACT,1999 & MAHARASHTRA ACT NO. XXXIII OF1999

Ragging means display of disorderly conduct, doing of any act which causes or is likely to cause physical or psychological harm or raise apprehension or fear or shame or embarrassment to a student in any educational institution and includes:

 I. Teasing, abusing, threatening or playing practical jokes on, or causing hurt to students
II. Asking a student to do any act or perform something which such student will not, in the ordinary course, willingly, do.
III. Expose students to ridicule and contempt thereby affect their self-esteem.
The Principal/Anti Ragging Committee shall take immediate action on any information of the occurrence of ragging.

PROHIBITION OF RAGGING:

Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act 1999 has the following provisions for action against Ragging:
1. Prohibition of ragging : 

Ragging within or outside of any educational institution is prohibited
2. Penalty for ragging : 

Whoever directly or indirectly commits, participates in, abets or propagates ragging within or outside any educational institution shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term. which may extend to two years and shall also be liable to a fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees.
3. Dismissal of student :

Any student convicted of an offence under section 4 shall be dismissed from the educational institution and such student shall not be admitted in any other educational institution for a period of five years from the date of order of such dismissal.
4. Suspension of student :
a. Whenever any student or, as the case may be, the parent or guardian, or a teacher of an educational institution complains, in writing, of ragging to the head of the educational institution, the head of that educational institution shall, without prejudice to the foregoing provisions, within seven days of the receipt of the complaint, enquire into the matter mentioned in the complaint and if, prima facie, it is found true, suspend the student who is accused of the offence, and shall, immediately forward the complaint to the Police Station having jurisdiction over the area in which the educational institution is situated, for further action.
b. Where, on enquiry by the head of the educational institution, it is proved that there is no substance, prima facie, in the complaint received under sub- section (1), shall be final.