Suicide of student: Probe puts onus on Crossroads School authorities

Kottayam: The district child protection officer has blamed the authorities of Crossroads School, Pampady, for the suicide of a student on March 31. Mr V.J. Binoy, who inquired into the suicide of Binto, 14, ninth standard student, found that the school authorities had asked him to take transfer certificate after he was admitted to the tenth standard. This was to ensure 100 percent pass in the CBSE class 10 examinations. Mr Binoy told DC that the school had admitted the students to the tenth standard even before the results of the ninth standard examinations were out.

“The school asked Binto to get transfer certificate and leave the school after he was admitted to the tenth standard. This caused him agony forcing him to take the extreme step”, Mr Binoy said. He submitted his report to the District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) which will forward it to the department of women and child welfare for further action, said its chairperson Marykutty. The boy’s father in his statement to the police also said that the school authorities had deliberately failed him in the examinations for facilitating 100 percent success in the tenth standard examinations.

However, the management rejected the allegation that the school had asked the student to take the transfer certificate. Management representative Dr Liz Gabriel told DC that after the model examination in January, the academic head of the school called the parents of the kids who scored low marks.

“They were told about the new scoring system of the CBSE in which they have to get 35 marks from the examinations alone, rather than 13.5 marks like the previous years. They were asked to give good training to the children for two months before their annual exams. If they get 35 marks they will be promoted to standard ten, or else they would lose a year. They could also move to a state syllabus school where they will find the curriculum and the exams easier,” she said. The school hadn't asked them for an application for TC or issued any, Dr Liz said.