1. These writ petitions are directed against the disciplinary action taken by the Managing Committee of the Medical College, Calicut, against the writ petitioners, students of the College, resulting in their suspension from the College for varying terms. The reason for the action was the "ragging" indulged in by the petitioners who may be broadly referred to as the senior students of the College, against the "freshers" or the junior students. "Ragging" has passed so much into popular parlance that we feel that any elucidation of the term would be unnecessary. The petitioners were charged with "ragging" of different grades and varieties ranging from abusing in filthy and obscene language or demanding the repetition of obscene language by the freshers, to beating, manhandling and other debasing forms of behaviour. The incidents are stated to have happened in the College and the hostel campus during the ragging season from 13 111977 to 3121977. We shall state the facts in O. P. No. 2740 of 1978, with respect to which the principal arguments, were advanced. Ext. P1 dated 19 6 78 is the memo of charge. The petitioner is a student of the IV Year M.B.B.S. Class. The charge was