On August 7, 2025, at Excellence Kids World (also referred to as “Excellent Playgroup”) in Camp No. 4, Ulhasnagar, a female teacher reportedly slapped repeatedly a child during a class activity. The child, allegedly a 3-year-old, was asked to clap while reciting "clap your hands, listen to the music" poem alongside other children. When the child did not comply, the teacher is seen striking the child repeatedly on the face including ear causing loss of balance. The teacher shows no compassion towards the child who appears confused and scared in the video.
The video of the incident went viral on social media, drawing public attention. The child's elder sibling discovered the clip online and alerted the family. Thereafter, the child’s mother lodged a formal complaint at Vithalwadi police station.
Senior inspector Ashok Koli of the Vithalwadi police confirmed registration of the complaint.
Following the public outcry, local members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) staged protests outside the playschool. They accused the institution of irregular operation and demanded stricter checks on teacher credentials and mental fitness. In response to unsatisfactory answers from school authorities, some MNS representatives vandalised the exterior signage of the school.
MNS district chief Bandu Deshmukh called for mandatory police verification of teachers, mental health assessments, and stronger regulation of unlicensed schools.
The police, meanwhile, have initiated an investigation. Statements from the teacher, staff, and management are being recorded, and video evidence is being examined.
Physical punishment of young children, particularly under age four, raises immediate medical and developmental concerns. A blow to the ear or head can, in rare cases, cause injury to soft tissues, the middle ear, or even initiate stress responses.
From a developmental psychology standpoint, corporal punishment can affect a child’s emotional and behavioral development. Early childhood is a sensitive period; physical discipline can increase anxiety, fear, and distrust, and may influence brain stress circuits. The World Health Organization and child development experts generally advise against any form of physical punishment in early childhood.
In India, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act impose certain protections, though corporal punishment remains a gray area in legal enforcement. Some states have explicitly banned it in schools; proposals for nationwide prohibition continue to be debated.
From a public health perspective, safeguarding child mental health and safety in educational spaces is essential. The early years of life are critical for brain development, emotional regulation, and attachment formation. Adverse experiences at this age can have downstream effects on learning, behavior, and psychosocial health.
This incident is not isolated. Across India and globally, reports of corporal punishment or inappropriate physical discipline in schools occasionally surface. In 2025 itself, a three-year-old child in Prayagraj was reported to have died allegedly following a slap by a teacher. MedBoundTimes reported another recent incident where a sixth-grade student in Punganur, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, suffered a skull fracture after her Hindi teacher allegedly hit her on the head with a school bag containing a steel tiffin box on September 10, 2025, inside her classroom.
Such cases reignite debate on banning corporal punishment, training educators, and strengthening oversight, especially for early childhood settings. For a child’s developing brain and emotional well-being, no physical punishment is benign.
(Rh/Eth/TL/MSM)