(a) whether it is a fact that cases of sexual harassment of girl students and female teachers
has increased in various schools in the country;
(b) if so, the number of cases reported from the schools in the country, State-wise,
particularly in Maharashtra; and
(c) whether the Government has taken/ proposes to take any initiative to prepare any new
strategy to tackle the said issue and if so, the details thereof ?
MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL ‘NISHANK’)
(a) & (b): Education comes under the concurrent list of the Constitution and the State
Governments and Union Territory Administrations have the direct responsibility to address
the issue of sexual harassment in schools and work places under their territorial control. The
list of cases of Sexual Harassment in schools, as reported by CBSE is annexed.
(c): The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and
Redressal) Act, 2013 aims to provide safe and secure work environment to women. The Act
covers all women, irrespective of their age or employment status and provides protection
against sexual harassment at all workplace and covers all educational institutions. As per
Section 4 (1) of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and
Redressal) Act, 2013 “every employer of a workplace shall, by an order in writing, constitute
a Committee to be known as the “Internal Complaint Committee”:
The Ministry of Human Resource Development has taken steps to prevent and deter the
commission of acts of sexual harassment and to provide the procedures for the resolution,
settlement or prosecution of acts, of sexual harassment by taking all steps required.
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 which
came to effect in April 2010 mandates that, the School Management Committee constituted
under Rule 21 shall be the first level of grievance redressal of teachers of schools specified
therein. The State Government shall constitute School Tribunals at the State, District and
Block levels which would act as the grievance redressal mechanism. Complaints related to
harassment of women teachers shall be accorded priority and shall be redressed without delay
in compliance with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court on prevention of sexual
harassment at the work place. Further, the Ministry of Human Resource Development has
issued guidelines on 9th October, 2014 to State Governments for ensuring safety and security
of school children, including provision on eve teasing and sexual abuse.
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has also suggested
authorities at different levels such as SMC, School Principal, School Management, Education
Department and Boards, to conduct safety audits in schools. NCPCR has developed a Manual
on safety and security of children in school setting.
The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) has issued a circular on
12.09.2017 directing the schools affiliated to the Board to take measures such as
psychometric evaluation of teaching and non-teaching staff, safety audit of premises, CCTV
monitoring, character antecedents verification, visitor management, training of staff and
setting up Internal Complaints Committee on sexual harassment and Committees under
Protection of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) Act, 2012 etc. to ensure safety of
children.
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) has constituted an ''Internal Complaints
Committee'' at KVS Headquarters level and Regional Offices level vide order dated
03.11.2015 to deal with the complaints regarding sexual harassment of women at workplace.
Internal Complaint Committee in Headquarters and Regional Offices of the Navodaya
Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) are functional which deal with complaints of Sexual Harassment of
women employees at work place in NVS. NVS is following all guidelines of Ministry,
POSCO Act & NCPCR instruction. The detailed guidelines for ensuring safety and security
of students in JNVs have been issued from time to time JNVs. School level complaint
committees and cluster level complaint committees are functional. At headquarter level moral
turpitude cases are dealt by summary trial committees. Action against the staff if found
guilty, is taken and in serious cases upto termination of services of staff is also taken as per
the NVS notification dated 20.12.1993.
The Central Tibetan Schools Administration (CTSA) Schools are affiliated to CBSE and
according to CBSE guidelines the following programmes are introduced for safety and
security of girl students & female teachers in Schools:
(i) CCTV cameras are installed at all vulnerable areas within the School.
(ii) Security Guards are engaged to limit the entry of outsiders within its premises.
(iii) A separate grievances committee has been constituted in all Schools for redressal
of grievances of the Staff, Parent and Students.
(iv) A separate sexual harassment committee is also working in all the Schools of
CTSA.
(v) Counselling of Students is a regular feature in CTSA Schools.
CTSA has reported that no case of sexual harassment of girl students and female teacher
has been reported in any CTSA school.
The NCERT has developed Training Material for Teacher Educators on Gender Equality
and Empowerment – Vol. I, II and III wherein the vol. I has a module on “Gender and
Violence” and Vol. III has module on “Protecting the Right of Girls and Women: The Legal
Framework” which addresses the issue of child sexual abuse in school. These volumes are
widely disseminated by the NCERT in all its programmes and its softcopies are available on
NCERT’s website. NCERT has also prepared Training and Resource Materials under
Adolescence Education Programme.
Content related to understanding and challenging stereotypes and discrimination,
reporting abuses and violence have been included. It is a part of NPEP which is implemented
in states/UTs.
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