Chandigarh: The Punjab goverment on Monday asked principals and staff of government and private medical and nursing colleges to keep a strict check on the ragging menace.

Medical Education and Research Minister Tikshan Sud asked medical institutions to immediately expel students found ragging.

Since the new session in all the medical institutions is about to start, there is greater need for the authorities to keep strict vigil on the activities of students, said Sud.

He added that any laxity shown by the management, administration, principal, faculty or staff in implementing the guidelines of the Supreme Court would invite stern disciplinary action against the violators.

Latest guidelines of the apex court on ragging have already been included in the prospectus and new students were also informed about these guidelines at the time of counselling.

Every institute is required to nominate a medical superintendent as the nodal officer to check the menace. Senior students and their parents have already been notified regarding the new directions of the Supreme Court concerning ragging.

Principals and staff members of general medical, dental, ayurvedic, homeopathy, paramedical and nursing colleges should remain watchful and monitor the situation on day to day basis, the authorities said. They must observe the attitude of newcomers and any sign of depression noticed in a new student should be probed deeply, Sud said.

The minister said the new students can fearlessly report any incident of ragging to the authorities as their identity would be kept secret. IANS