Private school in Rajasthan's Ajmer expels gang-rape survivor, bars her from Board exams
A private school in Ajmer district expelled a 17-year-old class 12 student, a survivor of gang rape, and barred her from appearing in her board exams, citing concerns about affecting other students. The district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) confirmed the allegations and directed action against the school.
FollowIn a shocking display of apathy, a private school in Ajmer district expelled a 17-year-old class 12 student, who is a survivor of gang rape and prevented her from appearing in her board exams, citing concerns about her presence affecting other students. The distressing incident came to light when the district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) investigated the matter and found the allegations against the school to be true. Consequently, the CWC directed the district education officer (DEO) to revoke the school’s affiliation and instructed the district collector to take action against the school management.
The crime, which occurred on October 18, 2023, prompted the police to register a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, initiating an ongoing investigation. Upon returning to school, the survivor was allegedly instructed by the principal to take a leave, as her presence was deemed detrimental to the institution's reputation.
Despite her efforts to continue her education, the survivor faced further obstacles when the school denied her permission to sit for the class 12 board exams, despite her application and fee submission. Expressing her disappointment, the survivor mentioned her desire to pursue further studies after achieving a commendable score of 79% in class 10.
Chairperson of the CWC, Anjali Sharma, confirmed the veracity of the survivor's ordeal, lamenting the loss of an entire academic year due to the school's actions. Meanwhile, Chief DEO Om Shankar Verma acknowledged the school's violation of regulations by forcibly removing the survivor from its rolls and issued her a transfer certificate.
Efforts are underway to seek justice for the survivor, with plans to facilitate her appearance in the supplementary examinations conducted by the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education. Despite the trauma she endured, the survivor persevered in preparing for the board exams, demonstrating her resilience in the face of adversity.
