Above: Ryan International School in Gurugram

The Supreme Court on Tuesday (April 17) directed Union of India (UoI) to frame guidelines within six months concerning safety and security of children in schools. The top court further told UoI that these guidelines should apply to government as well as the private schools.

The top court bench comprising Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman gave the directions on the plea filed by Barun Chandra Thakur, father of Pradyuman Thakur (Pradyuman was found dead in Ryan International school, Gurugram) seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail granted to Ryan School management officials.

Recently, Minister of State for Human Resource Development Upendra Kushwaha had told the Lok Sabha that probe panel which was set up to inquire into the death of Pradyuman had highlighted number of shortcomings at the Ryan International School including no separate toilets for drivers and conductors of school buses. And the school was being operated without
full-time Principal and only an Acting Principal was looking after the school management at the time of the crime.

Kushwaha had also revealed that the school had no provisions for differently-abled students, no potable drinking water and also didn’t have a valid fire certificate.

“CCTVs were found to be deficient and malfunctioning and the school boundary wall was not competent to ward off strangers,” Kushwaha had informed the Lok Sabha.

—India Legal Bureau