The shocking suicide of a Class 10 student of a much-vaunted school in Delhi—Shah Rukh Khan’s alma mater, in fact—has brought to the fore the complicated scenario of educational institutions today. Shourya Patil was allegedly constantly harassed by four teachers, leading him to take his own life on November 18. Ten days before, a girl in the Vasai suburb of Mumbai also died, reportedly after a teacher made her do 100 sit-ups as punishment for coming late to school.

Tragically, Shourya dreamt of a career in show business just like St Columba’s School’s most famous alumnus and apparently got picked on by the very teachers who should have helped him. Judging by his suicide note and his father’s account of his last few days, Shourya was accused of faking injury and basically being a crybaby and threatened with a transfer certificate with just weeks to go for the 10th board exams, which would have jeopardised his academic prospects.

Instances of teachers torturing students with sadistic punishments, as happened in Vasai, are still far too common in India. Most of the time, these happen in schools whose students are economically weaker, and teachers do not fear retaliation. When this happens in a prominent school, there is more media interest and consequent public outcry. There are FIRs and arrests, and schools, teachers, and parents are castigated and lectured. But ultimately, very little really changes.

Shourya’s case will remind Kolkatans of 13-year-old Rouvanjit........

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