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Several first-year students at the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) of Delhi University have filed complaints against their seniors alleging harassment by them, prompting the institute administration to launch an investigation into the matter.
FMS Dean Venkat Raman said the matter is currently being investigated and action will be taken if the allegations are found to be true.
According to a complaint sent to the grievance redressal cell of the institute, students have alleged they were assigned tasks with "odd deadlines" like 2.30 am and called for interactions at "odd hours" at 5 am on campus failing which they were forced to sign off their summer placement support.
The placement cell of the FMS is run by seniors.
Two emails, one dated June 22 and the other June 23, show students were given assignments at late night at 10 pm and were asked to submit by "2.29.59 am".
In a complaint to the grievance redressal cell, a student anonymously alleged, "Since June 15, we have been overworked, sleep deprived, subjected to threats and made to feel incompetent. As if the extreme pressure was not enough, the seniors mark our words with nasty feedback that we feel is intended to demoralise and humiliate us."
A student suffered a "panic attack and fell unconscious" on the campus due to this behaviour, another email reporting the incident alleged. Asked about the allegations, FMS Dean Raman said these MBA students are given case studies for corporate exposure.
"Such tasks are given by seniors to help them prepare better for placement. If a task was given at 2.30 am, then you must see that the seniors were also awake till then to assess the assignments," Raman told PTI.
They are basically helping each other, he said. However, in the process if anything wrong was said, necessary action will be taken, the dean said. "We have an anti-ragging committee in place, if anyone feels they were subjected to an objectionable behaviour, the committee can be reached out."
The first-year students were asked to give an anti-ragging undertaking at the time of their joining, Raman said.
In a recent incident of similar nature, the business school has submitted a report to the University Grants Commission (UGC) stating that an inquiry found the allegations "factually incorrect", he said.
"A similar incident took place a few days back wherein students had alleged that they were denied breaks. Our anti-ragging committee found that the claims were factually incorrect. We submitted a report to the UGC apprising them about it," the dean said.
"If pointed references (of alleged ragging) are provided (by the new batch of students), we will look into it and act as per rules," he added.
