The Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) has mandated the Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) of Wangoi Zone, Imphal West, to swiftly undertake an independent and timely investigation concerning a complaint from the parents and guardians of two Class II/B students at Catholic School Canchipur. According to the complaint, the students were unjustly confined in a classroom that was locked from the outside after school hours on February 6, 2026. MCPCR Chairperson Keisam Pradipkumar has ordered the ZEO to deliver an Action Taken Report along with documentary evidence within ten days of this order, citing authority under Sections 13 and 14 of the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005.
The inquiry aims to establish the enrolment and attendance for Class II/B on the date in question, evaluate the qualifications and child protection training of the involved teachers, and ascertain whether the event constitutes corporal punishment, mental harassment, or unlawful confinement as per legal standards. It will further investigate potential factors such as classroom overcrowding and administrative shortcomings that may have led to the incident. The school’s Child Protection Policy, grievance redressal structures for students, the framework of the Parents/Guardians’ Association, and the internal grievance mechanisms for staff are also set to be reviewed.
The Commission seeks to pinpoint both individual and institutional liabilities and to propose appropriate disciplinary, corrective, and systemic strategies to avert future occurrences. If the allegations are substantiated, they would likely represent breaches of the prohibition on corporal punishment and mental harassment as outlined in Section 17 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, raising serious concerns regarding psychological trauma due to unlawful confinement. An Assistant Teacher has already been suspended for three months, however, since the complaint implicates multiple teachers, a comprehensive assessment of accountability is necessary.
