The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to submit a status report on the implementation of “Student Safeguarding Advisory Committees” in government schools throughout the state. This order comes in response to growing concerns over the increase in sexual abuse cases in educational settings.
Justices J Nisha Banu and S Srimathy of the Madurai bench issued the directive following a public interest litigation (PIL) initiated by Advocate G Shabna from Theni district. The PIL addressed the failure to adequately implement protective measures against sexual harassment in schools, as mandated by a government order issued on June 17, 2021.
Advocate Shabna pointed out that while the guidelines were established to protect students from sexual harassment and abuse, their execution has been unsatisfactory. “These measures have largely remained on paper,” Shabna remarked, highlighting several recent violations that underscore the urgency of robust and functional protective systems in schools.
The 2021 government order had called for the creation of Student Safeguarding Advisory Committees in every school, intended to include the school principal, two teachers, two parents, a management representative, non-teaching staff, and an external member. The principal is to be a permanent member, with half of the committee members being replaced annually to maintain dynamism and vigilance.
These committees are tasked with the crucial role of reporting any incidents of sexual abuse against students directly to a state-level central complaint centre, which was set up specifically for this purpose. However, Shabna’s PIL alleges that these committees are mostly non-functional and have not been regularly reconstituted, which significantly impairs their effectiveness.
