Take back expelled student, directs HC

When 13-year-old Rohan, a class VIII student of St. Gregorios School in Dwarka, along with three of his classmates indulged in “friendly banter”with a girl in their class three months ago, they never foresaw what awaited them.

When 13-year-old Rohan, a class VIII student of St. Gregorios School in Dwarka, along with three of his classmates indulged in “friendly banter”with a girl in their class three months ago, they never foresaw what awaited them.

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A month later, along with the final exam report card, in which all of them were cleared for Class IX, they were handed Transfer Certificates too.

All they allegedly told their classmate was that “if she married one Shankar Raman (a South Indian boy in their class), she will be busy making dosa and idli etc”.

Then they changed their opinion and told her that another classmate Rakesh Sahni (a Punjabi boy) is best suited for her and then she will have a hard life making rotis. On the girl’s complaint, the school said their comments were “abusive and vulgar”.

The school was of the view that allowing these “indisciplined students” to continue in the school would affect the reputation of the institution, “besides bringing down academic standards”.

While the other three boys quietly accepted the TC and left the school, Rohan’s father Paramjit Singh challenged the expulsion and his lawyer Ashok Agarwal told Justice Kailash Gambhir that the “school clearly over-reacted by taking the extreme step and ruining the child’s career in the name of enforcing discipline”.

He said even it was assumed that the student used abusive language, the school, instead of ruining his career, should have given him counselling.

Aggarwal also alleged violation of the Delhi School Education Rules which says disciplinary measures such as fine, expulsion or rustication cannot be taken against any student below 14 years.

Finding merit in the argument, Justice Gambhir stayed the expulsion and directed the school to admit Rohan into Class IX. The court also sought a response from the school and the Director of Education within four weeks.
(All names have been changed to protect identities.)