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A recently published book highlights the prevalence of corporal punishment across India
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Illegal Corporal punishment
My teacher beats me when I am not able to read,” nine-year-old Rajni (name changed), a student of Class IV in a government school says, as she faces a volley of questions during the recent launch of a book by Plan India.
According to a study conducted by them in 2006, almost 90 per cent of school-going children meet the same fate every day. A compilation of the study was turned into a comic book Spare the Rod. It Won’t Spoil the Child.
The book is based on a study across four States, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan, about the gravity of the issue of corporal punishment.
Recent study
The study reveals that there are almost 33 types of corporal punishments given in schools and homes including tying with a rope, making them starve and locking in a room and the most brutal, inflicting burns on their hands.
Vineeta (name changed) is an 11-year-old girl with a sibling and various domestic responsibilities. “Ma wants me to wash clothes and cook food. She pulls my hair and slaps me if things are not done on time,” she reveals. There is no gender discrimination seen when it comes to punishing children. In general, however, boys get punished more frequently as they are considered mischievous, whereas girls face serious consequence if they refuse to perform household chores.
Corporal punishment has been banned by the Supreme Court, but only six States have taken steps to follow that order. Delhi, Goa and Andhra Pradesh have imposed a ban, while West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Chandigarh have sought prohibition on it.
Rajni has another complaint as well. “Even when the monitor has to maintain discipline in class in the absence of the teacher, she would pull our hair and shout at us. She behaves as if she is a teacher,” she says.
Good teacher
However, even after the physical punishments and regular abuses in the class, the kids consider their teacher “good” as they find nothing wrong when teacher slaps them if they misbehave.
“Madam is a good teacher. So what if she beats us sometime? What would she do if we don’t study?” Shabana (name changed) defends.
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