Minors are entitled to privacy, protection from abuse, consent, a safe educational environment, legal recourse, and confidentiality, all breached in this case. Addressing implementation gaps through training, awareness, and oversight is critical to prevent such violations and uphold children’s rights.

On July 8, 2025, a school in Maharashtra’s Thane faced significant backlash after a principal allegedly ordered female students from Classes 5 to 10, aged approximately 10 to 15 years, to undergo strip checks following the discovery of blood stains in a school bathroom. The principal reportedly summoned the girls to the school hall, displayed photographs of the blood stains, and directed them to separate into two groups based on whether they were menstruating.

A female peon was instructed to inspect the undergarments of some girls who claimed they were not menstruating. One student was publicly scolded by the principal after being found using a sanitary napkin. This incident led to protests by parents and a police complaint, resulting in a case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, against six individuals, including the principal and a peon, who have been arrested by the Maharashtra Police, with investigations ongoing against the others.

Can Schools Do A Strip Check

Schools in India have no legal authority to conduct strip checks or invasive physical examinations of minors, defined as children under 18 years, for purposes such as identifying menstruation. Such actions violate fundamental rights and child protection laws. The Maharashtra incident breached these boundaries by involving non-consensual physical inspections, causing humiliation. The Constitution of India guarantees the right to privacy and personal dignity under Article 21, which includes bodily autonomy, as upheld by the Supreme Court in cases like Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017)

The POCSO Act, 2012, a comprehensive law protecting children from sexual abuse, prohibits such actions. The strip checks may constitute sexual assault under Section 7, which addresses touching private areas with sexual intent, and sexual harassment under Section 11, which covers acts causing sexual discomfort or humiliation. Minors cannot legally consent to such acts, and physical examinations require parental consent or legal justification, which was absent here. Schools, acting in loco parentis, are limited to ensuring safety and education, not conducting invasive checks, making the Maharashtra school’s actions unlawful.

Robust Protections

Indian law provides robust protections against such violations.

The POCSO Act defines sexual assault under Section 7, with penalties of three to five years’ imprisonment, and sexual harassment under Section 11, punishable by up to three years. Section 19 mandates reporting of suspected sexual offenses, with penalties for non-compliance, explaining the police action following parental complaints in Maharashtra. Section 27 restricts medical examinations to qualified practitioners with consent, rendering the peon’s checks illegal.

The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, Ascertains that abused children are classified as “in need of care and protection,” entitling them to support from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Section 75 of the JJ Act punishes cruelty causing mental or physical suffering, applicable to the principal’s actions. The Indian Penal Code (IPC) supplements these laws, with Section 354 addressing outraging a woman’s modesty and Section 509 punishing insults to modesty, though POCSO takes precedence.

The Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, mandates a safe school environment, which strip checks violate. Constitutional provisions, including Articles 15(3) and 39(e), support protections for children, while the Supreme Court in Sampurna Behura v. Union of India (2018) emphasized preserving children’s dignity.

Minors enjoy extensive rights under these laws. Article 21 protects their privacy and dignity, violated by non-consensual strip checks. The POCSO Act ensures protection from sexual abuse, with the Maharashtra incident qualifying as assault and harassment. Minors cannot consent to invasive acts, and examinations require parental consent, absent in this case. The RTE Act guarantees a safe educational environment, undermined by the school’s actions. Minors have the right to legal recourse and compensation through the District Legal Services Authority, though the Supreme Court has noted delays in compensation. Confidentiality, protected under POCSO, was breached by the principal’s public humiliation. These rights were violated in the Maharashtra incident, highlighting the need for enforcement.

A look at the NCRB data

National Crime Records Bureau data from 2022 reports 1,62,449 crimes against children, including 68,266 sexual offenses, with Maharashtra accounting for 7,641 cases. Implementation challenges include inadequate awareness, resource constraints, and delayed justice, with 2,29,361 POCSO cases disposed of by March 2024 but many still pending. To address these, schools must train staff on child protection laws, conduct awareness campaigns, and establish non-invasive protocols. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) should enhance oversight, and timely compensation should be ensured.

The Maharashtra incident represents a grave violation of Indian law and minors’ rights. Schools lack the authority to conduct strip checks, which contravene the POCSO Act, Juvenile Justice Act, and constitutional protections under Articles 21 and 15(3). The strip checks and public humiliation constitute sexual assault and harassment, leading to legal action against the school staff. Minors are entitled to privacy, protection from abuse, consent in examinations, a safe educational environment, legal recourse, and confidentiality, all of which were breached in this case. By addressing implementation gaps through training, awareness, oversight, and victim support, India can prevent such violations and uphold the rights of children in educational settings.