Circular issued by the Delhi government's Directorate of Education states that schools in Delhi were given directions to constitute a committee for surprise checking of school bags, assuring none of the students bring 'stuff' or 'any object' which may be harmful to the other students.
The Directorate of Education (DoE) has instructed schools to maintain regular bag checks by gate guards and ensure continuous functionality of CCTVs. The decision comes after recent incidents of student altercations both inside and outside school hours came to light.
"All the heads of government and private schools of Delhi are hereby directed to put all possible efforts into ensuring the safety and security of students in the school premises. In order to make schools a safe and secure place for all concerned, it is imperative for all schools to implement a streamlined framework for ensuring good safety practices for students, parents, and staff," a DoE circular said.
"Therefore, all the heads of government and private schools are hereby directed to constitute a committee for random/surprise checking of school bags of students in classrooms and ensure that no student is in possession of any material that may be used to harm fellow students," it said.
The heads of schools have also been asked to issue directions to all the guards deputed at entry gates for regular checking of bags for any unwanted/inappropriate articles so that no untoward incident happens in schools.
"Heads of schools should also ensure that CCTVs are installed in the school and are functional all the time. Visitors should not be allowed to enter the classrooms and staff rooms," the DoE said.