SC issues notice to Centre, States on safety of school children, seeks response in 3 days

Amid the raging debate on the safety of school children, the Supreme Court has issued a notice to Centre and all the states. The apex court has sought their reply within three weeks.

The top court notice came days after a 7-year-old student Pradhyuman was murdered brutally inside the premises of Ryan International School.

Placing the onus on schools for the safety of students on their premises, the CBSE had also issued new security-related guidelines to be implemented by the institutions, failing which they would face derecognition.

In a similar incident of crime against children, a five-year-old girl was raped inside the premises of a private school in Delhi’s Gandhinagar on September 10.

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Safety audits, installation of CCTV cameras, police verification, psychometric evaluation, constitution of parent-teacher-students committees to address safety needs of the students and taking regular feedback from parents are among the measures prescribed by the board.

“The onus for safety and security of children in school campus shall solely lie upon the school authorities. It is a fundamental right of a child to engage and study in an environment where he/she feels safe and is free from any form of physical or emotional abuse or harassment,” the CBSE directive states.

It also says that access to the school building by outsiders should be controlled and visitors monitored.