Despite the government circular on corporal punishment to government and aided schools in the State, teachers in several institutions prefer to punish students to ‘discipline’ them.

The circular issued on August 30 forbids corporal punishment in schools and warns teachers of disciplinary action if they mentally or physically torment children. However, teachers are of a different opinion.

According to principals of some government schools, a large number of teachers has requested them to have “some kind of punishment” for children.

A government school principal, on condition of anonymity, said the teachers in her school insist on giving punishments to the students to discipline them.

 “There has been pressure from teachers, especially Mathematics teachers, to give punishment,” the principal said.

The circular was issued in the wake of two incidents of punishments. reported recently. Sangeetha, a student of a private school in Bangalore, was allegedly beaten up by teachers for not completing her homework, while Tulasi, a government school student in Hassan, was beaten up by a teacher for asking for more food.
“The circular has tied our hands. If a student is a latecomer, we can only ask him or her the reason for being late. We cannot punish him or her,” said Radhakrishna, Principal, RBANMS High School.

However, there are some schools, which feel disciplining a child is possible without punishment. “I have tried counselling students who are talkative or naughty and they have turned a new leaf,” said Mr Lakshmi Kanthaiah, Headmaster,  Government Model School, K R Puram.