The National Commission for Protection of Children Rights (NCPCR) has raised serious concerns relating to the treatment of children in schools concerning Hindu festival celebrations. The NCPCR, in two separate letters dated 8th August 2024 and 31st August 2024, had instructed that immediate action was required from the relevant authorities to stop discrimination and harassment in schools of students during festival seasons. The letters in particular mentioned harassment which students have to face regarding carrying tradition, customary symbols or items like rakhis, mehndi, tilak, etc.
Initial directive to states and UTs
On 8th August, the NCPCR sent a letter to the Principal Secretaries of School Education Departments across all States and Union Territories and urged them to ensure that the schools do not engage in practices that discriminate against students if they were wearing traditional items during the festival season. The letter highlighted that various news reports and observations indicated that some schools were not allowing children to wear rakhis, tilak or mehndi during festivals such as Rakshabandhan.
रक्षाबंधन का पर्व आ रहा है,बच्चे राखी बांधकर तिलक,मेहंदी लगाकर स्कूल आएँगे,ऐसे में स्कूलों को उनके धार्मिक विश्वास का सम्मान बनाए रखना चाहिए।
— प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (@KanoongoPriyank) August 11, 2024
यदि किसी स्कूल ने पर्व के दौरान बच्चों को इन विषयों पर दंडित किया तो स्कूल के विरुद्ध क़ानूनी कार्रवाई की जाएगी।
तत्संबंध में राज्य… pic.twitter.com/ElxiLTwJDT
The commission said that such actions not only cause harassment but also are against the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which prohibits corporal punishment or any form of discrimination in schools. The letter read, “It has been observed by the Commission through various news reports that children are subject to harassment and discrimination by the school teachers and other staff on account of celebration of festivals. It has been noticed that schools do not allow children to wear rakhi or tilak or mehndi in schools during festivals such as Raksha Bandhan and subject them to harassment, both physical and mental.” Notably, similar directives were issued in previous years as well.
Follow-up action against schools in Mumbai
Despite the direct initial instruction issued by the commission, it was found that some schools discriminated against students during Rakshabandhan. Another letter was issued by Priyank Kanoongo, chief of National Commission for Protection of Children Rights, on 31st August 2024 to the Municipal Commissioners of Greater Mumbai and Navi Mumbai addressing the concerns over discriminatory practices. The letter specifically pointed out that schools in Mumbai were reportedly cutting off and discarding rakhis and other religious threads worn by students deeming the act as harassment and a violation of the rights of the children.
The letter noted, “Despite NCPCR’s letter to the Secretaries, Education Department… various Schools in Mumbai are subjecting children to harassment and are cutting away and throwing their Rakhis and other religious threads. It may be noted that as per The United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), children have the right to preserve their identity without unlawful interference.”
Urgent call for compliance and reporting by NCPCR
The commission has called for an immediate intervention by the concerned authorities to ensure that such practices do not happen again in the future. The NCPCR has requested the Municipal Commissioners to take immediate action against the school administrations and staff involved in such actions. Furthermore, the commission asked the authorities to issue clear directions to prevent such incidents in the future. A compliance report has been sought within five days of the issuance of the letter.
