BHUBANESWAR: The School and Mass Education Department on Wednesday said no student should be allowed to go outside their institution’s campus during school hours. In a letter issued to all directors, District Education Officers, District Project Coordinators and Block Education Officers, Joint Secretary, School and Mass Education Department Nibedita Mishra said the direction has been issued by the Department Secretary in a 2016 case where a 15-year-old boy in Balangir district sustained electric shock outside the school campus during school hours.
“You are requested to issue instruction to school authorities under your control not to allow the students of schools to go outside the campus during the school hours to avoid any type of mishap in future,” Nibedita said.In 2016, Pintoo alias Subel Selma, a student of Class X in Pruthwiraj High School in Balangir sustained burn injuries after coming in contact with 11 KV electric current. His right hand was amputated.
A human rights activist, Sudhansu Kumar Panda filed a complaint with National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking compensation for the victim.
Accordingly, National Human Rights Commission had directed Odisha government to issue instructions to school authorities to not allow their students to go outside the school campus during the school hours.
Meanwhile, with several schools in the State having no boundaries and compound walls, a large section of people have raised doubts about proper implementation of the move.