Implement norms to end corporal punishment: HC

Guidelines must be communicated to all the educational institutions across the State

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the State to scrupulously implement the guidelines for the elimination of corporal punishment (GECP) in all the schools in the State to protect the mental health of the children.

Justice SM Subramaniam said that the idea is not only for the elimination of corporal punishment in schools but also any indirect form of harassing the children or circumstances affecting the mental health of the children are to be taken note of, while hearing a petition seeking to implement the guidelines.

If any complaint is received regarding corporal punishments, actions are to be initiated scrupulously by the competent authorities, read the judgment. If any lapse, dereliction, or negligence are noticed, the authorities must be subjected to departmental disciplinary proceedings, wrote the judge.

Further, the court also directed all the district educational authorities to constitute monitoring committees in each school headed by the head of the institution including parents, teachers, and senior students to ensure the guidelines are implemented scrupulously.

The judge also directed to communicate the guidelines to all the educational institutions across the State and to the district educational authorities. The court also directed to issue the consolidated circular to all the institutions, within five weeks and posted the matter to June 14, for the compliance of order.

Petitioner Kamatchi Shanker Arumugam from Tirupur moved a petition to implement the GECP provided by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in all the schools under the control of the government to eliminate corporal punishment.

The petitioner also submitted that corporal punishments of any form are completely unacceptable and prohibited under Section 17 (1) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. The growing years of every child require a safe and caring environment, any untoward experiences for the child may have a long-lasting unpleasant impression, capable of shaping the characteristics of the child in unpalatable ways, said the petitioner. Government advocate P Raja Rajeswari submitted that the State is proactive in implementing child rights and steps are taken to prevent untoward incidents including imposing corporal punishments in the schools across Tamil Nadu.