The Kerala High Court’s ruling that teachers have the authority to impose ‘reasonable’ corporal punishment to enforce discipline and correct students evoked relief among members of the teacher community but left students and some educationists extremely disappointed with the court’s reasoning.
While serving and retired teachers largely welcomed the verdict, students opined that there was no justifiable need for corporal punishment.
“The verdict is good and would have brought relief to the teacher concerned,” said Suchithra Sunil, a teacher with Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Tripunithura. “But I doubt whether the verdict will hold good for the entire teaching community. Unless the loopholes are sealed, teachers could find themselves in the dock again on account of this.”
The court’s remarks on ‘reasonable’ punishment were part of its verdict quashing a criminal case registered against Rajan, a teacher of Narayana Lower Primary School in Nallur, Kozhikode, for jabbing on the shoulders of a Class 2 student.
Jaljakumari T.V., Principal, Govt. HSS, Chowara, contended that there was indeed room for using reasonable punishment to correct students in ‘exceptional’ cases. She said there were instances where teachers had held that they could have been more effective by using punishment as a corrective mechanism.
Several students in Kochi said they did not agree with the dictum of ‘reasonable’ punishment. Speaking to The Hindu on condition of anonymity, all of them expressed the apprehension that the ruling may lead to teachers ‘crossing the line’.
“We have so many teachers who correct our mistakes, not by using cane but through words that are doubly good than any corporal punishment,” said a student. “Any physical punishment will definitely leave the students scarred,” was a popular refrain, articulated by most of them.
‘Police have changed’
Backing the students’ position, Kureepuzha Sreekumar, a poet, asserted that it was wrong to punish children and drew attention to a recent incident when a girl had committed suicide in Kollam after being publicly accused of having copied in an exam.
“We are living in an era in which even the police have shed third-degree methods,” said Mr. Sreekumar. “It is possible to guide children along the right path without ever punishing them.”
R.V.G. Menon, an educationist, expressed disquiet over the court’s ruling.
“It is a very strange observation. The High Court is not defining rules, but making them. Laws clearly state that corporal punishment is prohibited, so one wonders how the High Court can make such an observation,” said Mr. Menon. “It will have a huge impact, and end up boosting such incidents in schools,” he added.
( With inputs by R.K. Roshni )
