HIV-positive boy barred from school: NHRC notice to WB govt

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the West Bengal government following reports that an HIV positive boy was removed from a school in South 24-Parganas district.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the West Bengal government following reports that an HIV positive boy was removed from a school in South 24-Parganas district.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the West Bengal government following reports that an HIV positive boy was removed from a school in the state. (Shutterstock)

The Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that a private school banned an HIV positive student and also forced his maternal grandmother, a teacher in the same school, to take a ‘purity test’ and since then she has been a target to repeated verbal abuse.

“The content of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim, most importantly, the Right to Education of the seven-year-old boy,” the Commission observed while issuing notice to the state Chief Secretary calling for a detailed report in the matter within four weeks.