The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) recently issued a circular to the Principal Secretaries of School Education Departments across all States and Union Territories, responding to reports of children facing harassment and discrimination by school teachers and staff during festival celebrations.

The NCPCR noted instances where schools allegedly prohibited children from wearing traditional items like rakhi, tilak, or mehandi during festivals such as Raksha Bandhan, resulting in both physical and mental harassment.

The Commission emphasized that corporal punishment in schools is strictly prohibited under Section 17 of the Right to Education Act, 2009. With upcoming festivals in mind, the Commission urged that clear instructions be issued to prevent any practices that could lead to corporal punishment or discrimination.

The Commission also requested a compliance report, including relevant orders, to be submitted by August 17, 2024. Recently, the Delhi High Court reiterated that corporal punishment in any form is unacceptable, regardless of intent, under Section 17 of the RTE Act.

“The corporal punishment to a child in any form is deprecable, even though the motive may be to make a child realise that his/her act is unacceptable, wrong or disappointing”.