Click to play videoChennai: In December 2005, 8-year-old Kulaika Biwi was asked to put her hands on a burning candle by her school teacher in Tuticorin. This case was just one of the many cases of torture in the name of education in Tamil Nadu.
“Last year there were 50-60 cases in the state. Unreported cases may be 10 to 20 times more. You visit any primary school and there will be no classroom without a cane,” member, Committee on Equitable Education, S S Rajagopalan says.
But ironically even as cases of student suicides because of corporal punishment are on the rise, Tamil Nadu had an outdated law that actually allowed corporal punishment.
Rule 51 of the state's education rules had stated: “Corporal Punishment shall not be inflicted, except in case of moral delinquency”. It further says that punishment shall be restricted to six cuts in the hand.
After years of opposition to such rules, finally the state government has abolished this act but analysts point out that this is just the first step against corporal punishment.
"There has to be a sociological change and not just a legal change,” Rajagopalan explains.
But as of now parents can heave a sign of relief, as violent teachers can't hide behind an outdated law anymore.
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