600 Sit-Ups as School Punishment Hospitalizes Tamil Nadu Student

A shocking incident that has reignited national focus on corporal punishment in schools: a minor girl from Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga district was hospitalized after a schoolteacher ordered her to do 600 sit-ups within two days. The punishment resulted in a critical medical emergency, prompting the Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission to intervene and order the state government to pay the child’s family ₹2 lakh as compensation.

The case, dating back to October 2017, was only recently resolved after years of legal examination and medical inquiry. The girl, a Class 7 student at SS Kottai Government Higher Secondary School, was punished by her Tamil teacher for failing to submit a school project. On October 24, she was forced to do 200 sit-ups, followed by another 400 sit-ups the next day.

According to her mother, V. Pandiselvi, the child had recently started menstruating and was physically unwell at the time. After returning home, she fainted and exhibited alarming symptoms like severe abdominal pain, profuse bleeding, and vomiting. She was rushed to Sivaganga Medical College and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for six days, where she received treatment.

Medical records and witness statements presented during the inquiry supported the family's claim that the punishment had severely worsened the girl’s physical condition. The Department of School Education’s report confirmed that the student was subjected to the rigorous exercise solely as a disciplinary action.

The involved teacher reportedly did not offer any explanation or defense during the investigation.

In its conclusive decision, Commission member V. Kannadasan criticized the teacher's actions as "inhumane and degrading treatment under the disguise of school punishment." The Commission ruled that not only was the punishment disproportionate, but it also constituted a blatant violation of the student's human rights.

The state government was directed to pay ₹2 lakh as compensation to the girl's mother. The Commission also recommended that the Education Department initiate disciplinary action against the errant teacher.

Unfortunately, this is not the first—and likely not the last—time an Indian student has suffered due to such punitive practices. Recent similar incidents include:

• Andhra Pradesh (2024): Over 70 tribal girls from Rampachodavaram were hospitalized after being forced to do 200 sit-ups. Many were already suffering from anemia.

• Odisha (2023): A 10-year-old boy collapsed and died after being punished with repeated sit-ups for forgetting a book.

• Maharashtra (2020): An 8-year-old girl was hospitalized after completing 450 sit-ups as punishment for not doing her homework.

The Sivaganga incident is a tragic reminder of how unchecked disciplinary practices in schools can spiral into serious health crises. Critics emphasize the urgent need for systemic reform, legal accountability, and a culture of empathy in Indian educational environments.

They also say children deserve schools that nurture, not punish — environments where their health, dignity, and rights are protected at every step.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sakshi Thakar/MSM)