Chennai, Aug 21 (IANS): The Directorate of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu has issued an order to schools to take prior permission from district education officers before conducting National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Scout and Guide or Junior Red Cross (JRC) programmes.

This is following the shocking incident of a 12-year-old girl student in Bargur, Krishnagiri District being sexually assaulted in a fake NCC camp at a private school.

It may be recalled that the All Women’s Police Station in Bargur had on August 17 booked a case under the POCSO Act.

This was after the student was admitted to the Krishnagiri Government Medical College and Hospital with pelvic pain on August 16.

As many as 17 students had attended the camp and there were complaints that other than sexually assaulting this girl, 12 other students were sexually abused in a purported NCC camp from August 5 to August 9 in the private school where they were studying.

The police arrested the main accused Sivakumar who conducted the fake camp, the school principal, two women teachers and four staff including two women.

As per a circular issued to district education officers who are in charge of private schools, all schools are required to get prior approval before organising any camps on their campus or anywhere else.

The circular states that schools must submit a letter from the state or district office-bearers of the respective organisations.

A senior official with the Directorate of Private Schools told IANS, “There are standard instructions in place but now we have made them specific so that the safety of students is ensured.”

The schools are directed to appoint an adequate number of male and female teachers to ensure the safety of students during these camps.

The circular states that female students must be trained by female instructors and male students by male instructors, as per the guidelines provided by the state unit.

Schools are required to get individual permission letters from the parents of all students who will be attending these camps.

The circular also mandates that no student must participate in any activities without a teacher’s supervision.

The letter also stated that private schools must be properly registered with the state unit of the respective organisations to run NCC, Scout and Guide and JRC units.

Schools are not allowed to operate a unit of NCC, NSS if they don’t have teachers who have received training from the state unit.

The circular also directs the district education officers to circulate this communication to all private schools and confirm that they are accepting the guidelines specified in the circular from the directorate.