Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has written to the Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar about curbing corporal punishment in schools after increasing number of cases came in limelight regarding the same.
A recent disturbing incident was reported to the media in which the principal of government school punished the girls for not memorizing the Sanskrit shlokas by making them run in the playground without their skirts.
The guidelines
The apex body for the child rights has issued the guidelines for the formation of "special cells" in the schools which will look into such cases of physical punishment or harassment and will also prepare an annual report of the same.
"Under the Section-17 of the RTE corporal punishment is banned in schools" Maneka Gandhi said.
The guidelines also suggested that any grievances related to corporal punishment must be heard within 48 hours of the occurrence.