The Supreme Court has asked the central government, states and union territories to respond to a petition seeking mandatory legal education and self-defense training in schools.
A bench led by Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan gave them four weeks to share their views. The case will be heard again after this period.
The petition, filed by Delhi resident Geeta Rani, says students should learn basic legal rights and self-defense skills to protect themselves. It highlights that many children are unaware of their rights, which limits their ability to assert and protect them.
The plea referred to the National Crime Records Bureau’s 2022 report, which noted a sharp rise in crimes against children, with over 1.62 lakh cases reported that year. The petition argues that teaching children legal basics and self-defense could reduce such incidents and improve their safety.
India, as a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, is committed to protecting children from violence and abuse. The plea also pointed out that the CBSE introduced legal studies as an optional subject in 2013 for classes 11 and 12, but this has not been widely implemented.
The petition stressed that making these subjects compulsory would help students, especially girls, gain confidence, report abuse, and better protect themselves. It also called on all educational boards to ensure these topics are included in school curriculums for the safety and welfare of children.
With inputs from PTI