Kolkata: West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu has described ragging in higher educational institutions as a "disease" that should be wiped out through the active participation of all stakeholders.

Basu, who was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme at Scottish Church College here on Saturday, said both senior and junior students must be sensitised about ragging.

"While colleges and universities have zero tolerance towards the menace of ragging, students must also be sensitised about the malaise. I am calling upon the senior students to love their juniors. At the same time, I must ask the junior students to respect and love their seniors," he said.

Basu made the comments in the run-up to the commencement of classes of first year in colleges in the state on August 7.

On the incident of death after ragging of a first-year undergraduate student in Jadavpur University on August 10 last year, Basu said authorities of the institute have taken several steps and kept him updated.