The School Education Department, on Tuesday, March 11, has dismissed 23 government school employees who were accused under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. This includes both teachers and non-teaching staff.
According to a The Hindu report, the decision had followed a thorough final inquiry into 46 POCSO cases involving government school employees. Earlier, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi had said that the final decisions on 56 cases would be taken by March 10 and orders will be issued. The Minister also stated that the educational credentials of the implicated teachers would be revoked. In the last 10 years, 104 cases have remained under disciplinary review.
Reports state that eleven teachers have been arrested and are currently in jail, and four have passed away. Further, in the last two months, seven teachers - one each from Dindigul, Trichy, Nilgiris, Pudukkottai, Villupuram, Dharmapuri, and Tirunelveli districts are reportedly dismissed for sexually harassing the students. Additionally, 15 teachers from the elementary education department have been dismissed, and three have passed away.
According to Government Order 121, enacted by Tamil Nadu in 2012, individuals found guilty of sexual misconduct face disciplinary consequences, including compulsory retirement or termination. Additionally, Rule 19(2) of the Tamil Nadu Government Servant Conduct Rules prescribes penalties in accordance with Rule 8 of the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules.