The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Karnataka Chief Secretary, seeking a report within four weeks, on the allegations that Oxford English School, Nandini Layout, Bangalore, had chopped off tufts of hair from the heads of four children in order to distinguish them under the Right to Education quota.
The Commission was acting on the basis of media reports, which alleged that these Standard I students were made to stand separately during the assembly, and their lunch boxes were checked before they entered their classes. They were even forbidden to share their lunch with the rest of the students.
Parents’ charge
The students’ parents alleged that the names of their wards were not entered in the attendance register, and the school made them sit in the last row, and no home work was given to them.
The NHRC noted that the allegations, if true, raised a serious issue of violation of the children’s rights.
It wanted the Chief Secretary to inform it on the action taken against the school authorities under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act.
