Kerala school suspends 4 teachers for forcing student to remove bra

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Four women teachers, who reportedly forced a 17-year-old student in Kannur to remove her bra as part of stringent measures during the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET), were suspended by the school on Tuesday amid widespread protests.

The state human rights commission sought a report from the district police chief on the Sunday incident at TISK Higher Secondary School in Payyanur. Many youth organisations staged a protest march outside the school and the issue also figured in the state assembly as members cutting across political parties condemned it.

“Four teachers have been suspended and the school management has constituted a two-member panel to enquire the whole incident,” a school spokesperson said.

The girl, who didn’t want to be identified, said she was wearing a bra with a steel buckle that caused a metal detector installed outside the examination centre to beep when she reached there on Sunday. With 10 minutes to go for the test, she said she was asked to remove her inner wear.

“Since there was no toilet nearby I removed it there itself and gave it to my mother waiting outside,” she said adding it was a humiliating experience. She said the bitter experience made her more nervous and she couldn’t perform well in the national medical entrance examination.

Authorities deployed huge police teams, physically frisked candidates and ordered a strict dress code to check any attempts of cheating and irregularities during the all-India exam conducted in more than 100 cities. Dark-coloured clothed, fullsleeve shirts, closed shoes and big buttons were also banned.