Surat Incident: School Fined 10,000 for Teacher-Student Altercations, Doubles to 25,000

In schools in Surat, after instances of teachers physically abusing students, the education authorities have issued a circular. If a teacher physically or mentally harasses a student more than five times, their recognition will be revoked. Following an incident of a teacher assaulting a student in Surat schools, the education authorities have issued a circular stating that, for the first time, the school that subjects students to physical education or mental distress will face a fine starting at INR 10,000, and subsequently, for every irregularity, a penalty of INR 25,000 will be imposed. Teachers will also face disciplinary action.

The circular issued by the primary education authorities mentions that all institutions in the state, including government, district education committees, municipal education committees, aided and unaided private primary schools, C.B.S.E, I.C.S.E, or any school affiliated with any board, where students are subjected to physical education or mental distress, will be subject to complete prohibition. Those found guilty will have to follow this directive strictly, face disciplinary action, and if the violation continues, it will be known, and complaints or petitions will be resolved, and the facts will be known, and, in case of non-compliance, the person concerned will face disciplinary penalties.

To inflict physical or mental distress on a child in schools will result in a fine of INR 10,000 for the school for the first time, and thereafter, a fine of INR 25,000 for each irregularity will be imposed. Schools following such irregularities five times as a final measure will be prohibited from school management. Such instances will also lead to the imposition of mental distress penalties on teachers.

For these reasons, the first time a school or teacher subjects a student to physical or mental distress, they will be fined from INR 10,000 to INR 25,000.

• If schools do not grant free admission to students from economically weaker sections who are orphaned or deprived, they will risk losing their recognition, and eligible students will be denied entry.
• If students are subjected to physical or mental distress in schools, which violates discipline, and if this violation is repeated five times, schools will have their recognition revoked. Teachers who engage in such acts will also face disciplinary penalties.
• To ensure compliance, the use of school vehicles for taking students to schools, imposing fines for non-compliance in case parents do not provide consent to leave school, and making it mandatory to buy snacks, stationery, or breakfast from specific shops will all be enforced.
• Teachers should not engage in any education-related business apart from teaching. If teachers are involved in tuition fees, they will be penalized.
• Violation of government examination evaluation regulations will result in penalties.