A nation-wide study by the central government found that 65% of children experience corporal punishment at school. Ten years later, in 2017, the picture is no way different. Although corporal punishment has been prohibited in India, our survey in Gurgaon found that 75% of the children living in low income communities are beaten up, abused and harassed by their teachers on a regular basis.
The Research
In 2017, we embarked on the journey of understanding the problem on the basis of a comprehensive research. The report provides insight into how and why marginalised children, most of whom study in government schools, experience corporal punishment.
The risk factors that put disadvantaged children at risk of experiencing physical punishment and verbal abuses at school include their low-income and "migrant" background, government schools which are often characterised by an environment that fosters violence against children, and our social norms that justify physical and mental abuse of children in the name of discipline. Almost all children in Gurugram’s government schools experience corporal punishment by teachers, around half of them on a daily basis. On top of that, 70% of parents punish their children when they find out about punishment at school, as a result of which children no longer share anything with them. 71%of children, interviewed by Agrasar team said they are beaten up at home. Almost all parents (91%) approve of school corporal punishment and 74% admitted that they also use it at home.
Download the full report
The pain and scars, and in some cases, fatal injuries or long-term health problems that are inflicted by corporal punishment, endanger the safety of India’s children
It undermines the effort to provide children with a safe learning space
Corporal punishment increases the struggle of India’s children to grow up in a safe environment, free from fear and abuse
It also related to the overall context of domestic and gender-based violence in India
Corporal punishment intimidates children, suppressing their intellectual curiosity
It is ineffective to discipline children – it merely encourages conformist behaviour to avoid pain instead of helping students to focus their attention
Exercising corporal punishment is a waste of time that could be spent elsewhere
Corporal punishment undermines children’s trust and respect for teachers.
The experience of corporal punishment at school correlates with aggressive, violent and delinquent behaviour in children’s later life
It has correlations with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and generally lower self-esteem
It causes frustration and trauma in children, resulting in hostility and violent acts towards others
Violent pattern of behaviour are later replicated in intimate and parenting relationships
The root cause of the issue of corporal punishment are our social norms that justify the physical and mental abuse of children in the name of discipline, and which are widely shared among parents, teachers, education officials, law enforcement and our society at large. This “tacit assent” within our society continues to put our children in harm’s way. We challenge these social norms through diverse means, taking into consideration Agrasar’s core work principles, which are working embedded within communities, progressing with them, learning with them, and building our learning outcomes into our interventions.
What we do
Capacity Building of Teachers
Supporting the teachers to connect with their own values as teachers and enable them to use child-centric, non-violent disciplining methods in their classrooms that instill the ability of “self-regulation” among students
Homework Solidarity Groups
Facilitating the school students to form solidarity groups to support each other in ensurng that the homework is completed in time and with a high level of accuracy so that the students take on the responsibility of their own learning.
"Good Student" workshops
Facilitating the development of life skills in children that equip them with skills that are necessary to maintain good relationships with their peers and teachers, which should have a positive impact on the school and classroom climate
Facilitating NCPCR Guidelines
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has constituted comprehensive guidelines following a detailed study which was conducted in 2009-10 involving 6632 children across seven States. The study reported almost all children experiencing some kind of punishment. The guidelines have laid out a robust mechanism to be established in schools for promoting fear free education
Community Awareness Campaigns
We raise awareness on various forms of violence against children, and its negative impact on children in particular and society in general. Through our methodology based on "theatre of the oppressed", people learn the importance of listening to children, understanding their perspectives and creating a fear-free environment at home for children’s growth
Supporting Other Organisations
We believe that many organisations across the globe are equally passionate about creating safe spaces for children, and are truly immersed in their own communities. We are convinced that the most impactful way of upscaling our efforts is to partner with other organisations and build synergies to curb this menace from society.
alex@agrasar.org
We run a number of community schools for children of migrant workers, aiming to mainstream them into government schools. Last year, we were celebrating our success as a number of ‘our’ children were accepted into public schools. However, this sense of achievement soured quickly when we found out that they were beaten up by their teachers almost on a daily basis. Although we were able to stop those teachers, we believe that all of India’s children deserve to grow up and learn in an environment free of fear and abuse, and launched Kaagaz ki kashti, our campaign against corporal punishment in the schools of India.
He studies in class 8th and is 13 years of age. He was very shy to talk to us when we encountered him outside his house. We explained him the reason why we were there and what was our purpose. He was shy but was ready to share his experiences with us.
We asked him about his favorite teacher and the reason to which he replied, “I like math teacher because she does not punish and explains very well”. When asked about other teachers, he said, “some teacher punishes by slapping and even principal ma’am slaps when we do not obey”. We asked him the name of the principal to which he couldn’t reply because the teacher-student attachment is surface level and not emotional.
Praveen further added that punishments often left us feel humiliated and ashamed in front of other classmates. But he also agrees that punishments are important otherwise the students wouldn’t learn from their mistakes. When probed further he answered that even at home we face corporal punishments.
At school students are mainly punished for indiscipline, talking during assembly and not completing homework etc. Praveen did not like getting punished at school because he feels that humiliating.
Shaalu is a very sweet yet confident girl that we met. She studies in UKG. She was very serious while talking to us and hold her studies and school close to her heart.
Shaalu loves going to school and likes doing her homework. When we asked about punishments in her school, she said, “Yes, teachers do punish us when we do not complete our homework or does not pay attention in class”. Types of punishments that teachers use in schools are like pulling ears, slapping, making students stand out of the class or to raise their hands and stand for the whole period.
She adds further, teachers only beat those children who are not good and those which teachers do not like. It was a very evident from her innocent reply that teachers beat children without any reason as well.
She feels that children should not be beaten as this instills fear in their mind. Some of her friends fear going to school because of some teachers. Her mother said, “children are like wet mud, as we shape them they take the shape. And that is why we should always be gentle with them and not rude or frighten them, this have long lasting effects on them.”
Saurav is a cheerful and confident boy we met in Sikanderpur. He is from West Bengal. He studies in class 7th and is 12 years old. He loves going to school and seemed quite happy about it.
Saurav likes his class teacher, Abida (name changed) ma’am because she teaches well and doesn’t beat like other teachers. Another reason which he gave was that, Abida ma’am gives very less homework and that why it is possible to complete it not get punished.
Usually in their school, students are beaten up by hard wooden scales, and are even slapped for not completing homework or disturbing in class. Saurav feels that students should be punished because they do not obey teachers and that is why teachers have to beat them.
The reasons which he is punished or get beatings at home is for using mobile for long time and for not doing the household chores. Now one must be wondering as how a 12 year old boy must be getting beatings for not doing house hold. His mother works at the Aircel company as a cleaner and have to leave early from home and couldn’t finish the work at home. His father is a hawker and is not at home most of the time in the day. So Saurav has to take the responsibility of the house and do the work of washing utensils and clothes.
We asked about the aspirations and Saurav said that, he wish to stand on his feet and be self-sufficient to help his parents in their old age.
