IIMs, at least in my day weren't as bad in this regard as engineering colleges. But I still have a small story that's relevant. Remember that I'm male, brahmin, generally pugnacious and outspoken. So structurally, least likely to get bullied. https://twitter.com/aditya_mani_jha/status/1326100646487973889

At IIML in my first weeks, I saw a few instances of casual violent bullying, which in India is cutely called "ragging". Like sexual harassment in india is cutely called "eve teasing".

Again, nothing as bad as I had heard elsewhere. But a ritual was "bumps".

It's another cute name for a kind of casual violent assault. Someone is held up by all fours, and then other dudes literally kick his ass very hard. Some psychopaths bring rubber slippers and other material for maximum impact. There is no point to this than intimidation.

So in my assigned hostel, I saw this happening. Plus some instances of lining people up and making them do humiliating things. Most people gave into it, thinking it's just hostel life. Pretending it was fun. Stockholm syndrome like. A friend and I decided, nope, this isn't for us

So we avoided certain wings and corridors. Didn't really roam around the campus at night for the first couple of weeks, because that's when you were most likely to get rounded up and "ragged". We did it quietly and tactfully. Our butts remained unkicked.

But someone must have snitched because word went around, Sabnis and Joshi still haven't been ragged. A group of seniors came to our rooms saying "Ragging period is almost over. Come downstairs. We will have fun for an hour and then treat you to dinner at the fauji dhaba."

We tried to politely refuse. Saying not interested. We'll buy our own dinner, thank you. Really, not interested, etc. Remember that IIMs are generally more civilized in this regard. So most of the seniors shrugged and backed off. But there were a couple of dudes who didn't.

Almost took it as a personal insult. Both from Delhi, fwiw. One of them upped the ante

"Sabnis, don't be a baby. Everyone goes through ragging. Come along quietly or maybe one day, we will ambush you and rag you anyway. And you won't even get free dinner."

And I, unused to being threatened, snapped and said,

"You even lay a finger on me. And you will have to kill me. Because trust me, if you don't, I will make the rest of your life hell. You might be able to ambush and rag me one night. But the rest of your life, you'll regret it"

I think I was already cranky for some other reason hence that ultra dramatic warning. But it did its job. The dude still tried to win the verbal battle by making snide comments. But the intensity in my voice made him drop it and walk away. I was never "ragged".

As I said, I have demographic and structural advantages. I'm very pugnacious. And the IIM scene is relatively mild in this regard.
Imagine being muslim or dalit or obc in wild lawless campuses like you see in Gulaal. Or even just being a shy and mild-mannered person.