CBSE orders police verification, psychometric test of school staff

The brutal murder of 7-year-old Pradyuman, a student of Gurugram’s Ryan International School, sparked country-wide outrage among parents on the issue of safety of their kids. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has finally come out with a list of safety measures that needs to be followed by all its affiliated schools.

Here’s the list of measures that schools have to follow on an immediate basis:

1. Get the security/safety audit done of their premises and personnel from their respective local police station and follow the security related advice for the safety of school children. This may be complied and reported online on CBSE’s website www.cbse.nic.in within two months of receipt of this circular

2. Install CCTV Cameras at all vulnerable areas/point in the school premises and ensure they are functional at all times

3. They must get the police verification and psychometric evaluation done for all the staff employed. Such verification and evaluation for non-teaching staff such as, bus drivers, conductors, peon, and other support staff must be done very carefully and in a detailed manner

4. Ensure that supporting staff is employed only from authorised agencies and proper records are maintained

5. To constitute a parent-teacher-students committee to address the safety needs of the students and to take regular feedback from parents in this regard

6. The access to school building by outsiders should be controlled and visitors monitored

7. To provide training and development for staff to address their responsibilities to protect children from any form of abuse

8. The school shall constitute separate committees for redressal of public/staff/parents/students grievances, Internal Complaints committee on sexual harassment and committees under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offence) Act, 2012 and details of the these committees along with contact details shall be displayed prominently on School Notice Board and conspicuously on the school website for information of all stakeholders

Furthermore, the notice read:

“It is reiterated, that all schools affiliated with CBSE are hereby directed to strictly adhere to all the guidelines issued by MHRD and Board from time to time. Any violation/lapses with regard to safety and well being of children in school campus would invite appropriate action including the disaffiliation of the school as per the provisions under Affiliation Bye-Laws of the Board.”