NHRC, India takes suo motu cognizance of the reported frisking, beating and forced removal of clothes of girl students by teachers after one of them lost Rs 1,000 at a government school in Sawai Madhopur district, Rajasthan

Prelims-testable facts

• 01The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report alleging severe human rights violations involving the frisking and forced removal of clothes of girl students at a government school in Rajasthan.
• 02The incident reportedly occurred after one of the teachers lost Rs. 1,000/- and the students were beaten up by the teachers but no money was recovered from them.
• 03The NHRC has issued a notice to the Rajasthan Chief Secretary calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.
• 04The media report alleged that girl students of classes IX and XI were frisked and forced to remove their clothes by two teachers at a government school in Liwali village, Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan.
• 05A large number of parents reportedly reached the school the next day to protest after being informed about the incident by their children upon returning home.
• 06The NHRC has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights of the victim students.

Trap alerts

• Most people think the NHRC takes suo motu cognizance only in cases of major crimes, but actually it can take cognizance of any matter that raises serious issues of human rights violations.
• Most people think the NHRC's notice to the state government is just a formality, but actually it has the power to issue notices and directives to ensure compliance with human rights standards.