{"id":105619,"date":"2024-05-01T19:27:13","date_gmt":"2024-05-01T13:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&p=105619"},"modified":"2024-05-01T19:27:13","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T13:57:13","slug":"corporal-punishment-in-schools","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/corporal-punishment-in-schools","title":{"rendered":"Corporal Punishment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Context:<\/span> <\/b><\/h2>\n

Recently,<\/span> the <\/span>Tamil Nadu<\/b> School Education Department has issued <\/span>Guidelines for the Elimination of Corporal Punishment in Schools (GECP).<\/b><\/p>\n

More on News:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n
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  • Emphasizing the need to treat children with care and respect, the <\/span>Madras High Court has recently deprecated the practice of imposing corporal punishment on children.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    About Guidelines issued by Tamil Nadu:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n
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    • Safeguarding the mental well-being & Conducting Awareness: <\/b>The GECP, jointly issued by the Director of School Education and the Director of Elementary Education includes safeguarding the mental well-being of students and conducting awareness camps to familiarise stakeholders with guidelines of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for effective implementation.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    • Take Proactive Steps:<\/b> The Tamil Nadu School Education Department has instructed district-level officers to ensure that all schools in their jurisdiction take proactive steps<\/span> to create safe and nurturing environments for students.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n
    • Extending the focus beyond Eliminating Corporal Punishment: <\/b>To address any form of harassment or situations impacting students\u2019 mental health and <\/span>establish monitoring committees <\/b>at each school comprising school heads, parents, teachers and senior students to oversee the implementation of guidelines and address any issues.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
    • Affirmative Actions: <\/b>The Department also<\/span> listed several affirmative actions against corporal punishment, <\/b>including addressing difficult situations, positive engagement with children, focus on help and not punishment, rights of the teaching community and children, multidisciplinary intervention, life-skills education, creating a positive environment and mechanisms for children\u2019s voices.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

      About Corporal Punishment:<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n
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      • Refers: <\/b>According to the <\/span>Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, <\/b>corporal punishment includes <\/span>physical punishment, mental harassment and discrimination.<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\n
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        • There is<\/span> no statutory definition <\/b>of \u2018corporal punishment\u2019 targeting children in India.<\/span><\/li>\n
        • However, the<\/span> RTE Act, 2009 prohibits <\/b>\u2018physical punishment\u2019 and \u2018mental harassment\u2019 <\/span>under Section 17(1)<\/b> and makes it <\/span>a punishable offence under Section 17(2).<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Classification:<\/b> Corporal Punishment can be broadly classified into two types:<\/span>\n
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          • Physical punishment: <\/b>According to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), physical punishment is any action that <\/span>causes pain, hurt\/injury and discomfort <\/b>to a child.<\/span>\n
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            • Examples:<\/b> Standing on bench, standing against the wall in a chair-like position, standing with school bag on head, holding ears through legs, kneeling, forced ingestion of anything, detention in the classroom, library, toilet, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
            • Mental Harassment: <\/b>It is any non-physical treatment that is detrimental to the<\/span> academic and psychological well-being<\/b> of a child.<\/span>\n
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              • Examples:<\/b> It includes sarcasm, calling names and scolding using humiliating adjectives, intimidation, using derogatory remarks for the child, ridiculing or belittling a child, shaming the child, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Regulations for Protection against Corporal Punishment:<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n
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                • Constitutional Provisions:<\/b>\n
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                  • Article 21 A:<\/b> Provision for <\/span>compulsory education<\/b> in the age group of 6-14.<\/span><\/li>\n
                  • Article 24: <\/b>It <\/span>prohibits child labor<\/b> in hazardous work until the age of 14.<\/span><\/li>\n
                  • Article 39 (e): <\/b>It is the <\/span>duty of the state<\/b> to ensure that children are not abused due to economic disparity.<\/span><\/li>\n
                  • Article 45:<\/b> It is the <\/span>duty of the state<\/b> to provide for the <\/span>care of children in the age group of 0-6.<\/b><\/li>\n
                  • Article 51A(k):<\/b> It is the<\/span> fundamental duty<\/b> of parents to<\/span> ensure that their child receives education for the age group of 6 to 14.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
                  • The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Guidelines:\u00a0<\/b>\n
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                    • The NCPCR provides <\/span>guidelines<\/b> for eliminating corporal punishment.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
                    • It includes <\/span>promoting positive engagement<\/b> with children and <\/span>establishing Corporal Punishment Monitoring Cells <\/b>in every school to ensure compliance with anti-corporal punishment measures.<\/span><\/li>\n
                    • Drop boxes <\/b>are to be placed where the aggrieved person may drop his complaint and anonymity is to be maintained to protect privacy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
                    • Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009:<\/b>\n