India Insight

The death of Rouvanjit Rawla, a Kolkata schoolboy allegedly driven to suicide after being thrashed and humiliated by his teachers, has sparked a media debate on corporal punishment in Indian schools.

Rouvanjit, a student of La Martiniere School for Boys, was found dead in his room days after he was caned by his teachers.

The case has drawn widespread support after Ajay Rawla lodged a police complaint alleging his son hanged himself due to the “inhuman torture inflicted by his teachers”.

A quick search on the Internet reveals what many say is an apathetic attitude of academic staff towards pupils in Indian schools.

As Rawla sought more information following his son’s death, he found popular social networking sites like Facebook full of testimonials from students who have experienced corporal punishment.

The Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, currently in India, is expected to address concerns in India over attacks on Indian students.The issue blew up in May this year after a spate of attacks on Indian students amid allegations of racism.The Australian leaders have been defending the safeguards and measures taken since then, but every time there is a fresh attack the media goes to town with the issue.With over 80,000 students enrolling in Australian every year the attacks, whatever their nature, have hardly dampened the outflow of students.Rudd won’t be the first to offer a reassurance and given the regularity with which incidents are reported it doesn’t look like he would be the last.Indian students continue to be interested in Australian education.Is this because they can sense that the issue is has been blown out of proportion?Or are they voting with their feet on the state of Indian education system?Are we still sold out over the lure of a ‘foreign degree’ and willing to run the risks for it?