Ragging in Military Academies: Discipline or Abuse in Disguise? - Dr Pashupati Nath

Editor's Note

This article has been painstakingly penned down by an affected parent whose son has recently been boarded out from one of our elite academies due to injuries sustained by him during training . The article aptly convey the painful agony, anger and sadness that such parents experience when their child / ward is actually withdrawn ,medically boarded out ,resigns ,dies or sustains grievous/ serious injury in the academy during training which terminates or ends the dream of not only the affected cadet but the entire family !

MVI fervently hopes and prays that serious cognizance/ note is taken of this article and corrective measures/ reforms made by all concerned agencies dealing with training of military cadets at all our officer training academies.

Editor ,MVI

While the Supreme Court of India and the University Grants Commission (UGC) have established clear, uncompromising protocols against ragging in educational institutions, a disturbing loophole continues to thrive within the country’s elite military academies. Under the pretext of “military training” or “toughening up,” acts of ragging have not only persisted but often gone unchecked, resulting in devastating consequences including suicides, desertions and life-altering injuries in young cadets.

This raises a fundamental question: Is this form of institutionalized violence truly justified in the name of discipline and combat readiness?

The False Justification of 'Training:

Military training is undoubtedly intended to build resilience, teamwork, and mental fortitude. However, when that goal is pursued through psychological abuse, humiliation, and physical assault, the line between discipline and cruelty is undeniably crossed.

Often, seniors and even instructors justify these actions with statements like: “We endured it, and so should you.”

This toxic culture of perpetuating trauma fails to produce better soldiers. It only creates a legacy of abuse masked as tradition. Far from building strength, such experiences have led to severe mental health crises. Numerous cadets across institutions like the National Defence Academy (NDA), Indian Military Academy (IMA), and Officers Training Academies (OTAs) have reportedly taken their own lives or left the academy, unable to cope with the unrelenting harassment from peers and seniors.

A Dangerous Tradition: The Crisis Among Air Force Flying Cadets

A deeply troubling pattern has taken root within the training environment, that of unscheduled, unsupervised, and unofficial training sessions imposed by senior cadets in the name of “squadron honour” and “tradition.” These coercive practices, conducted without any formal sanction or oversight, have caused serious physical and psychological harm to junior cadets. In 2025 alone, four flying cadets were either boarded out or likely to be boarded out, forced to abandon training, or tragically took their own lives. This crisis is unfolding even as the Indian Air Force continues to raise concerns about a critical shortage of trained pilots. Yet, despite the urgent need for competent officers, little meaningful action has been taken to ensure that young cadets who voluntarily forgo lucrative civilian careers to serve the nation are trained in an environment of care, safety and dignity. The irony is stark: those who choose a life of service are sometimes broken before they ever reach a cockpit.

Even more concerning is the complete lack of accountability at the leadership level. In operational military units, commanding officers are directly held responsible for any case of suicide or serious injury under their watch. But in training academies, how many Commandants or Deputy Commandants despite their high ranks and institutional authority have ever been held responsible for such tragedies? The answer, by all available indicators, is close to none. These senior officers often escape scrutiny altogether, avoiding responsibility for failing to implement adequate safeguards or enforce structured, supervised training environments. Are they not equally accountable for the well-being of the cadets under their command? Their inaction allows this toxic culture to flourish unchecked.

These are not merely internal lapses in discipline, they represent moral and institutional failures with far-reaching consequences. Families are left devastated, dreams are destroyed, and promising lives are lost. A serious examination of how often officers tasked with cadet welfare are actually held accountable would reveal how committed a particular academy truly is to confronting the rot within and implementing real reform.

Supreme Court Guidelines and UGC Regulations

In stark contrast, civilian educational institutions are bound by stringent anti-ragging measures, backed by the Supreme Court and UGC.

These include:

• Mandatory Anti-Ragging Affidavits: Every student and their parent or guardian must submit a notarized affidavit during admission, affirming they will not engage in or tolerate ragging.

• Anti-Ragging Committees and Squads: All colleges must set up dedicated committees to monitor and prevent ragging incidents on campus and take immediate disciplinary action.

• 24x7 National Anti-Ragging Helpline: A toll-free number (1800-180-5522) allows victims or witnesses to report ragging anonymously and receive immediate assistance.

These measures emerged largely from the recommendations of the Raghavan Committee Report (2007), a pivotal document that categorized ragging as a serious human rights abuse and laid the foundation for the UGC’s 2009 Anti-Ragging Regulations, which adopted a zero-tolerance policy.

Why Are Military Academies Exempt?

Military academies, although educational in nature, often operate under the Ministry of Defence and thus fall outside the direct jurisdiction of the UGC. They maintain their own codes of conduct, sometimes influenced by provisions in the Army, Navy, and Air Force Acts.

This autonomy, while important for operational and national security purposes, has inadvertently allowed a culture of silence and impunity to flourish. Internal complaints are often buried, whistle-blowers are ostracized, and genuine mental health issues are treated as “weakness.”

A Cost Too High

• Cadets have committed suicide, leaving behind notes or tell-tale signs blaming harassment by seniors.

• Others have deserted their academies or feigned illness to escape.

• Some have suffered permanent injuries or psychological breakdowns, only to be boarded out (medically discharged), their dreams, bones and dignity shattered.

• Families, often left in the dark, suffer lifelong trauma, with no closure or justice for the sons and daughters they entrusted to the academy.

Such outcomes are not mere incidents, they are institutional failures, compounded by a lack of accountability at the highest levels of academy leadership.

Discipline Must Not Equal Dehumanization

Proponents argue that tough, even harsh, training is essential for preparing soldiers for the brutality of war. However, discipline in a professional army must be grounded in respect for human dignity, not in breaking down individuals through abuse.

Global militaries like the U.S. Army, British Armed Forces, and others maintain highly rigorous training regimes — but within frameworks that monitor mental health, prohibit peer-inflicted abuse, and prioritize leadership development over humiliation.

The Way Forward: Reform with Resolve

To prevent further tragedies and bring our military academies in line with constitutional and humanitarian standards, the following steps are recommended:

• Extend modified anti-ragging protocols to military academies through a dedicated defence oversight mechanism.

• Mandatory filing of anti-ragging affidavits for all incoming cadets and their guardians.

• Establish independent Anti-Ragging Committees in all academies, with representation from legal, medical, and psychological experts.

• Enable anonymous grievance redressal systems, along with access to the National Anti-Ragging Helpline or a parallel defence helpline.

• Periodic psychological evaluation and counselling for both juniors and seniors.

• Strict action on the Instructors and penalties for those found guilty of ragging, regardless of rank or seniority.

• Hold squadron commanders, divisional officers, and especially the commandants and deputy commandants directly accountable for lapses that lead to cadet injuries, deaths, or psychological trauma.

Conclusion: Build Up, Don’t Break Down

Military academies are meant to shape leaders not to scar them. Every suicide note, every dropout and every boarded-out cadet is a reminder that something is deeply wrong. True strength lies in discipline with dignity, in building cadets up not tearing them down under the pretext of training. It’s time we stop hiding abuse behind tradition and call it what it is: a violation of human rights, unacceptable in any uniform. And it’s time to hold leadership accountable, not just the cadets at the bottom, but the officers at the very top.