The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of two separate media reports flagging serious human rights violations involving schoolchildren in Madhya Pradesh, issuing notices to the state's Chief Secretary and demanding detailed responses within two weeks. Both cases — one involving a life-threatening river crossing and another involving caste-based assault on a Dalit child — point to systemic failures in ensuring safe, dignified education in the state.

Children Risk Lives Crossing Betwa River to Reach School

In the first case, the NHRC noted reports about students from Kakraua village in Vidisha district who cross the Betwa River daily by hopping across exposed pillars of a check dam. The dangerous route cuts the journey from 13 km by road to just 1.5 km, but requires children to navigate wide gaps between pillars over flowing water.

According to reports, nine students — including five girls — take this route every day. A video of the children carefully making the crossing has circulated widely on social media, drawing public attention to the hazard. Villagers have said they are unable to escort the children to school as they work in agricultural fields, leaving families with a stark choice: risk the crossing or forfeit education.

One student reportedly failed her final examinations after missing school on days when she was too short to jump across the pillars.

What the NHRC Said on the River Crossing Case

The Commission observed that the absence of a safe mode of transport for these children amounts to a negation of their fundamental right to education with dignity. It cited Article 21A of the Constitution, which guarantees free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14 years, reinforced by the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.

The NHRC also invoked the Supreme Court's ruling in Avinash Mehrotra vs. Union of India (2009), which held that the right to education encompasses the right to a safe school and safe infrastructure. Notably, while the District Education Officer reportedly inspected the site and informed the District Collector, no timeline has been fixed for constructing a safe passage.

Dalit Student Assaulted by Teacher in Shivpuri

In a separate incident, the NHRC took cognisance of a report that a Class 4 student from the Dalit community was physically assaulted and subjected to casteist slurs by a teacher at a Government Primary School in Ukawal village, Shivpuri district, on 28 July this year. The teacher allegedly became enraged upon seeing the boy drinking water from his own bottle.

The child subsequently informed his parents, who lodged a complaint with the police. The Commission has observed that the contents of the report, if true, raise serious issues of human rights violations. Notices have been issued to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary and the Superintendent of Police, Shivpuri, with the response expected to include the status of statutory relief provided to the victim.

Systemic Concerns and What Comes Next

Both incidents, the Commission noted, underscore persistent gaps in protecting children's rights to education, safety, and dignity in Madhya Pradesh. This is not the first time the NHRC has intervened on school safety in Indian states — the body has previously flagged inadequate infrastructure and caste-based discrimination in school settings across multiple states.

State authorities have two weeks to submit detailed reports. The Commission's findings could trigger further directions on interim relief, infrastructure timelines, and action against the accused teacher. Whether the Madhya Pradesh government — led by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav — moves beyond inspection to concrete remediation will be closely watched.