NHRC notice to the Delhi Chief Secretary over the dilapidated building of a blind school endangering the lives of students and teaching staff in the Panchkuyian area

New Delhi, 3rd July, 2023

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that about 35 students of one of the country's oldest schools for the visually impaired are forced to study at the risk of their lives in a dilapidated building with literally no requisite educational as well as residential facilities. This unrecognized school being run by an NGO in the Panchkuyian area of Delhi, was reportedly set up in Lahore in 1939 and was migrated to its present location in central Delhi, in 1947.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise serious issues of safety and human rights of the Divyang children and their teachers. Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi calling for a detailed report within 4 weeks. It should also include the present status and the steps being taken or proposed to be taken to maintain continuity of education for the students and their safety.

According to the media report, carried on 26th June, 2023, that in addition to the 35 children, there are 8 teaching and 15 non-teaching staff in the school. Most of the students in the school are from outside Delhi. The school management has also written to the Delhi Lt. Governor and the Education Department to transfer the students to other blind schools in view of the impending risks to their life.

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