Rajasthan school bars gang-rape survivor from board exam

AJMER: A private school in Ajmer district not only expelled a 17-year-old class 12 student — a gang-rape survivor — but also debarred the minor from appearing in her board exams, citing that her remaining in school would adversely affect the other students.

Upon inquiring into this shocking case of apathy, the district child welfare committee (CWC) found the charges true and asked the district education officer (DEO) to withdraw the school’s affiliation. The CWC also directed the district collector to act against the school management.

The crime took place on Oct 18, 2023, following which police registered a case under Pocso Act and initiated a probe, which is still underway.

When the minor went back to school, the principal allegedly asked her to take leave for some days and not attend school. She accordingly stayed home for a few days. “When I went back to school, the principal said I should discontinue studies as parents of other students had been demanding my removal, saying that if I remained at school it would defame the institution,” she told TOI.

To add to her woes, the student filled up the form for class 12 board exams from the school and even submitted her fee for the same but the institution disallowed her to sit for the exams that ended on April 4. “I had scored 79% in class 10 and wanted to study further,” she added.

“The facts are true and the girl lost a whole year,” CWC chairperson Anjali Sharma said, adding: “When we called the principal for his statement, he said the girl remained absent for four months which is why her name was struck off from the roll.”

Chief DEO Om Shankar Verma said an education department team conducted an inquiry on Friday and found that the school had “removed her name from its rolls and issued her a transfer certificate forcibly, against the rules”. Verma said the inquiry report would be forwarded to the director, based on which further action would be taken. Despite the ordeal she underwent, the minor had prepared for the board exams, said Sharma.

“I have spoken to district legal aid authorities to compensate the victim. We are trying to ensure her appearance in the supplementary examinations conducted by Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education so that her year can be saved,” she added.

(with agency inputs)