Indian school terms 9-year-old 'characterless'

In a bid to punish a nine-year-old for complaining against his teacher, a school in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda district has certified the child "characterless" in his Transfer Certificate that could hamper his admission in any other school and destroy his future, a parent said.

According to reports, the Class 5 student of a primary school in Chatarauli village had got into a quarrel with a few of his classmates last month. For which, a teacher allegedly thrashed the boy.

When the boy's parents lodged a complaint against the teacher with the school principal, the latter refused to act on the matter.

Upset over the inaction, the parents threatened to withdraw their child from the school.

When they asked the principal to issue the Transfer Certificate, they were in for the shock of their life. In the TC, the principal termed the boy as "characterless" while describing the boy under the designated column.

The parents alleged that the school management had issued them such a TC in a bid to punish the boy for complaining against the teacher.

"With this remark on the transfer certificate, my son will not get admission in any other school. The principal has played with the future of my child," the distraught father said.

The district education officer in Gonda said that an inquiry has been ordered into the incident and action would be taken against those found guilty.

Indo-Asian News Service