Question : Corporal Punishment in Child Care Institutions

(a) whether the analysis of data on children homes gathered between 2016-17 has shown that nearly 4130 child care institutions in the country have admitted to have used corporal punishment and humiliation as measure to discipline children who are violators of law and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has conducted any analysis of data in this regard during the years 2017-18 and 2018-19 and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the recommendations of the committee set up for the examination of Child Care Institutions have been reviewed and implemented by the Government;
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
(e) whether Government has issued any advisory to States especially after Muzaffarpur case in Bihar; and
(f) if so, the steps taken or being taken by the Government on the recommendations of the committee in consultation with the States?

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)


(a) to (f): The Ministry of Women and Child Development conducted a national mapping exercise of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) in 2016, in order to ascertain whether CCIs being run by State Governments/UT Administrations under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act), are in line with the standards mandated by the JJ Act and Model Rules framed thereunder and to institute corrective measures where required. The analysis showed that many CCIs use forms of disciplining children which fall under the ambit of corporal punishment as defined by the JJ Act.

The Ministry shared the information with States/UTs drawing their attention towards the findings vide letter dated 4th May, 2017. The Ministry stressed upon the need for mandatory monitoring as prescribed under the Juvenile Justice (Child and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 which mandates regular monitoring by Child Welfare Committees, Juvenile Justice Boards and State Governments. The primary responsibility in execution of the JJ Act lies with the State/UT Governments.

The Chief Secretaries of all the States/UTs were requested to get the inspection conducted under the supervision of District Magistrates. The Ministry also issued an advisory to the States and UTs regarding actions required to be taken in case of abuse of children in any Child Care Institutions.
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