Pupil ‘hit’, child rights panel summons school principal

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 24

The principal of a school in Sector 40 has been summoned by the Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR) after a parent alleged that his son was beaten up at the school for not reciting hymns properly.

The principal has been asked to appear before the commission tomorrow at 3:30 pm.

Complainant Jaswant Singh, the father of the victim, a Class V student, wrote, “On April 22, my child’s classmate was asked to recite hymns. Since he couldn’t recite it, my child was asked to make him learn the same. When even he could not recite it properly, he was beaten up by the teacher. The teacher also threw away his bag and told other classmates not to talk to him. I request the authorities to check the footage of CCTV camera installed in the classroom.”

Singh said, “My child has been beaten up on several occasions as well. We kept on tolerating it until now. I had even asked for CCTV footage, but the school has failed to provide the same.”

“I am preparing another complaint to be submitted before the commission tomorrow. I will bring out all disturbing issues in the school,” he added.

School Principal Pritinder Kaur, however, refused to comment on the issue.

On January 22, a parent of a Class I student at a school in Sector 45 had alleged that his daughter was "brutally beaten up" by her class teacher.

The matter ended with a compromise.

Previous incident

On January 22, a parent of a Class I student at a school in Sector 45 had alleged that his daughter was “brutally beaten up” by her classteacher. As per the letter to the school, the girl was slapped thrice on her face and her nose was pulled so badly that it left scars on her face. She was in trauma and did not want to return to the school. 

Later, the parent compromised with the teacher.

What rules say

• The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, prohibits ‘physical punishment’ and ‘mental harassment’ under Section 17(1) and makes it a punishable offence under Section 17(2). As per the Act, no child shall be subjected to physical punishment or mental harassment and whoever contravenes the provisions shall be liable to disciplinary action under the service rules applicable to such person.
• According to Section 75 of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, whoever, having the actual charge of, or control over, a child, assaults, abandons, abuses, exposes or wilfully neglects the child or causes or procures the child to be assaulted, abandoned, abused, exposed or neglected in a manner likely to cause such child unnecessary mental or physical suffering, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with a fine of Rs 1 lakh or with both.