PUDUKKOTTAI: Around 25 girls studying in Class 10 were allegedly forced to perform 100 squats under the scorching sun as punishment for failing to submit documents, including community certificate and Aadhaar card copy, at Government Girls’ Higher Secondary School at Subramaniyapuram in Aranthangi on Monday.
One of the students with suspected wheezing condition allegedly fell ill after the incident. Unable to walk, she had to be helped by her friends and parents to reach school on Tuesday. “Distressed by his daughter’s condition, her father also collapsed and had to be given first-aid,” another parent said.
“The teacher had even warned she would make students perform 200 squats if the documents weren’t submitted by Tuesday,” the parent of one of the affected students said.
The School Education Department will conduct an official inquiry on Wednesday.
The incident, which took place on Monday, triggered outrage among parents and activists, who visited the school the next day, seeking accountability. According to sources, the class teacher instructed students to submit a list of documents within 15 days of school reopening. These included their community, income, residence, and birth certificates, Aadhaar card, and bank account details.
“Document submission is the responsibility of the parents. To make their children suffer for this mistake is unfair,” a source told TNIE.
School management committee member Thendral K Karupaiah acknowledged that the punishment was inappropriate but maintained that the teacher had a good track record, adding that she had apologised. The headmistress assured parents such incidents wouldn’t recur. “As the affected parents knew the teacher, who is a local resident, they did not want to press charges,” he added.