By Kunal Rao

The Supreme Court will hear a PIL seeking directions to Centre to implement the clear guidelines and issue instructions to Flying Squad, Invigilators/Supervisors, Dy. Supdt, Supdt and Schools authorities on examining, searching and physically frisking the students, who appear in the examinations.

The PIL which has been filed through Anuja Trehan Kapur who is Supreme Court Advocate and Criminal Psychologist contends that, “if students and guardian give a signed Affidavit, which will create their responsibilities, liabilities, accountabilities and penalties, if they voluntarily violate the special instructions of the instructions for students, invigilators and Flying squad issued by the department. Then this will minimize the need of physical strip search of the students, who are taking the examinations”.

The petitioner further contends: “The nature of injury will be caused or likely to be caused to the public if the laws, guidelines, instructions  detailed above are being violated by the Respondents lead to the various psychological and mental agony and disorder in the students taking up the examination in the examination hall such as:

Abetment to suicide

Depression

Anxiety

Panic attacks

Major depressive disorder

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Suicidal behavior in students.

Various instances have come into light regarding physical strip search of students by Flying Squads in the name of search during examination in the examination hall, the petitioner said. Recently, a shocking case of the strip search of the deceased tribal girl in Jashpur, Chhattisgarh during Examination by the Flying Squad has come into light, which was being conducted in the Examination Hall, led to the suicide and accordingly the news-Article was published in India Today magazine on March 7.

In year 2010 a shocking case of a Class X Girl victim who was subjected to the strip search in Exam Hall at Modinagar has been enlightened and accordingly, the news was published in the Times of India.

“Despite existence of clear guidelines and instructions to Flying Squad, Invigilators, Dy. Supdt, Supdt and Schools Authorities on examining, searching and physically frisking the students, who are taking their papers in the Examination Hall, the Central Govt and State Govts have violated the said laws, instructions and guidelines, imposed on them, and failing to comply them during the students search procedure at the time of the examination,” said the plea.

“That it is the need of an hour to hold accountable and made them liable for not complying with the Laws detailed,” the PIL pointed out.