Corporal body for WB schools

Updated on: Monday, July 19, 2010

The state school education department has decided to set up an authority to monitor violations of the ban on corporal punishment. The authority’s directives will be legally binding on schools.

The decision — taken in the wake of the controversy over the death of Rouvanjit Rawla, a Class VIII student at La Martiniere for Boys who committed suicide a few days after he was caned in school — is aimed at reining in private schools. A senior school education department official said: “It was impossible to control the city’s private schools, particularly those affiliated to the CBSE and the ICSE. After Rouvanjit’s death, the government came under tremendous criticism for not probing the case. But there was nothing we could have done. Now, it is time to form a body with legal authority, whose writ will run over all institutions.”

School education minister Partha De said: “The body will deal with any complaint related to corporal punishment, mental torture or stress inflicted on kids in schools. The members can form inquiry committees and receive complaints from children or their parents. A second-hand report can also be accepted by the body.” He pointed out that the authority will have compelling powers and their decision would be binding on all schools.

Corporal body for WB schools

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