Sri Lanka, Oct. 1 -- There is the occasional letter to the editor condemning it, sometimes the issue is discussed academically, the parties regret its occurrence, but by and large, we choose to ignore the disgrace; ragging is specific to the universities, occurs outside the public view; a misfortune that happens to only a few youngsters, somebody else's children; otherwise fortunate students who have weathered our exclusionary system of examinations to now stand at the portal of higher education, the university; our temple of learning, moulder of character and the beacon of enlightenment.

Having crammed up the various curriculum subjects for 12 years, last of these years more specialized cramming, the bright-eyed adolescents are now eage...