Kerala to launch anonymous ragging report app and 300 science centres
Chief Minister V D Satheesan will inaugurate the new student welfare and scientific awareness initiatives on Wednesday.
The Kerala government will launch a mobile application for anonymous reporting of ragging and establish 300 science centres to promote scientific temper, according to The Indian Express on Tuesday. Chief Minister V D Satheesan is scheduled to launch these initiatives at Government Women's College in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
The Siddharth Student Welfare App provides a confidential platform for students to report campus issues and safety concerns without revealing their identities. Users can submit anonymous audio complaints to alert the relevant authorities.
The application is named in memory of J S Sidharthan, a 20-year-old veterinary student from Nedumangad. Sidharthan allegedly died by suicide in February 2024 following ragging by students at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, in Wayanad.
Higher Education Minister Roji M John said the science awareness programme, led by the Kerala State Higher Education Council, aims to reach 15 lakh young people. The initiative will include handbooks, video reels, and online courses, including one developed with the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT).
The state is also considering a draft of the Siddharth Anti-Ragging Act to create a legal framework and a state anti-ragging commission. Additionally, the government will release a Student Aspiration Survey to understand the needs of those in higher education.
The event on Wednesday at 11:30 am will also see the inauguration of the first sub-centre of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Scientific Temper. Transport Minister C P John will also attend the programme presided over by Roji M John.