Indiscipline no grounds to expel student: HC

Indiscipline no grounds to expel student: HC

Schools Must Manage Kids From Diverse Backgrounds

K.Kaushik@timesgroup.com

Madurai:01.04.2021

The Madras high court on Wednesday observed that the indisciplined behaviour of a teenaged student should not justify expulsion from school. The court said that schools are expected to handle and manage different segments of students and strive to mould them into good citizens.

The court made the observations while directing a school management at Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district to take in a student who was denied admission in Class XI due to indisciplined behaviour. The court was hearing a petition from the student’s mother V Lakshmi.

Justice V Parthiban observed that it is needless to mention that there are two facets to education -- one is to draw out the best ability of the student and the other is the character edification and the inculcation of values of life, its meaning and existence. The combination of these two facets ought to be the aim of every school management to sub-serve the interest of society at large.

In an institution having several hundreds of students hailing from various socio-economic, cultural backgrounds on its strength, it is too much to expect homogeneous conduct and regimented behaviour from all students. “This court is conscious of the fact that in today’s context, schools are run as enterprises with a paramount aim of achieving excellence in terms of their academic balance sheet with a view to be a leader in the field of education. In the bargain, all round growth of the students is relegated to the back burner, if not, it is altogether shunted out of the academic activities,” said the judge.

The judge observed that it was easy for an institution to send a student away on grounds of indiscipline. But such steps amount to shirking its ultimate responsibility and reflect on its inability to address so-called errant behaviour of the student concerned, which is viable for any school for that matter.

Quoting Abraham Lincoln ‘mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice’, the judge directed the school management to admit the student by accepting the undertaking affidavit filed by the petitioner ensuring her son’s good behaviour for the next two years. The judge directed the school to comply with the direction within one week as the present academic year has already commenced.

In an institution having several hundreds of students, it is too much to expect homogeneous conduct from all students