HC orders inquiry into charges of ill-treatment of students

The Delhi High Court has ordered a detail inquiry into the allegations, including the ill- treatment to girl students for having not followed the "hair style code", in a government-run school here.
A division bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice V K Jain directed the Secretary of Delhi Education department to look into the allegations and conduct an inquiry through a senior officer of the Directorate of Education and file a report by May 1.
The bench passed the order after going through a preliminary report submitted by another school principal on the allegations against Sarvoday Kanya Vidyalaya (SKV), Madanpur Khadar that abusive language was used and corporal punishment meted out to the students for not following the hair style code.

According to the preliminary report, the SKV principal, the teachers and some parents have denied the allegations but some of the students had made allegations which needs be enquired in detail.
With regard to hair style, the report said, the school principal and the teachers have denied of misbehaving or assaulting any student for not coming to the school with the prescribed hair style but noted that a parents teachers association (PTA) committee had suggested a uniformity in hair style among the students.
"The Principal of the SKV has explained that no punishment for late coming is being given to the girl students. The PTA committee has suggested that there should be uniformity in the dress and hairstyle, for the safety of their own children and there is no restriction of two 'chotis' for girls. Only the suggestion was given to the students...," the preliminary report says.

The bench was hearing the grievances of a group of students who had launched post card campaign against the school management and also written a letter to the High Court Chief Justice in September last year.

Counsel for the students, Ashok Agarwal had submitted before the court that the misbehaviour of the teachers towards the student has led to sheer frustration among the students.
The lawyer also said the condition of classrooms was also not good due to lack of infrastructure and basis amenities for the students were poor.
He sought a court direction to city government to provide adequate infrastructures to create an environment so that the students would like to study without any frustration.