Parents and Teachers, be aware! Ministry of Women and Child Development has issued a set of guidelines to ban physical punishment of students and children. This ban entails one year of jail or a fine of Rs 5000 or even both, for first instance of punishment. If someone thinks this is not enough, imprisonment could be extended to 3 years in jail and additional fine of Rs 25,000.
This is a welcome step taken by the Government. I got to read that Govt. committee is working on final draft of the Prevention of Child Offences Bill where even parents, relatives and neighbours could be prosecuted for hitting children.
While drafting the law concerned people have also studied the other aspects such as verbal abuse, molestation, ragging and even sexual abuse.
I strongly believe that such measures will reduce chances of parents beating child for silly reasons. Subsequently trauma a child goes through will reduce slowly and steadily.
Some of the parents, I have seen, are adamant and want the child to do what they could not do themselves. There is immense pressure on the child to 'perform constantly in all the spheres of life'.
This is ridiculous and uncalled for in the first place. I am sure now there will be space for children 'to grow without fear'.
Rarely Central Government does something so nice!
