DCPCR picks up plaint alleging pvt school forcing students to sit for physical exams

new delhi: The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) will now probe complaints of a private school in Delhi forcing students of classes 9 and 11 to take their exams offline. The child rights body has also sought a report from the school over these allegations.

The child rights body took cognizance of a tweet that said, "Birla Vidya Niketan is FORCING students of class 9&11 to take the annual exams OFFLINE. No choice is being given to the parents, it's either take the OFFLINE exam NOW or be DETAINED, Urgent intervention needed!"

In an order copy, which was also marked to the principal of the school, DCPCR wrote that they have taken note of an MHA order which includes guidelines for reopening schools.

"Where schools are conducting online classes, and some students prefer to attend online classes rather than physically attend school, they may be permitted to do so. Students may attend schools, institutions only with the written consent of parents. Attendance must not be enforced, and must depend entirely on parental consent," read the guidelines.

"Further the circular of DoE (NCT of Delhi) stated that the child should be called to school only with the consent of parents, following the standard operating procedure. Therefore the complaint, if found true, the commission shall be constrained to forward the matter to the District Magistrate to take cognisance for the violation of MHA and DoE orders," read the order copy of DCPCR.

DCPCR chairperson Anurag Kundu said, "The school is not allowed to enforce the attendance of any child during a pandemic. Therefore, such a directive to hold exams physically is, prima facie, illegal. I have directed my staff to take note of this and issue a notice to the school within 24 hours."