The Madras High Court has directed the Director of Elementary Education, Chennai, to hold a full-fledged enquiry into the alleged exploitation of students by school teachers and issue appropriate instructions and guidelines to all concerned. The exercise should be completed within three months.
The First Bench, comprising Chief Justice M.Y. Eqbal and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, passed the order while disposing a public interest litigation petition by V.G. Dhanasekaran of Villai Village, Arani, in Tiruvannamalai district.
The petitioner prayed for a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to frame a scheme to stop the abuse of village students by teachers in the State. He also sought a direction for appointing independent non-bureaucratic committees at the district-level to prevent such practice.
The petitioner alleged that teachers of different schools exploited pupils by asking them to clean their toilets and vehicles.
The teaching staff also asked the students to get tea and snacks.
Those who refused were beaten.
He had sent representations to the authorities concerned.
The Bench said that since the matter appeared to be serious, it was directing the Director of Elementary Education to enquire into the matter so that those indulging in such abominable activities would be deterred from doing so.
