Panel seeks technical expertise to study autistic student's behaviour

The Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) has appointed development paediatrician Dr Samir Dalwai for technical expertise in the case of a Std V autistic student of Vasant Vihar High School in Thane. The boy's parents have alleged that the school ill-treated him and have demanded that the mother be allowed to accompany him in class.

The boy has been a student in the school's SSC section since Junior KG. His parents have alleged that the school has disallowed the mother from accompanying the student to class. "He is most comfortable when I am around. However, there are times when the school has disallowed me from entering the classroom," said the mother.

However, on Tuesday, the school argued that recommendations from the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan had suggested that the school must plan a slow withdrawal of the student's dependency on his mother. "We have a team of experts who are equipped to take care of the child in school and just wanted to reduce the child's dependency on the mother. Presence of the mother in class will only hamper his development as she uses physical force to control him," said V Kannan, principal.

"We will appoint a technical expert who will investigate the matter. Dr Dalwai will visit the child at school and home and will make his recommendations accordingly. Based on his report, a decision will be made by the commission," said Ujjwal Ukey, acting chairperson of the MSCPCR.

Dalwai had also led the expert panel in the case of an autistic student of Jamnabai Narsee School, Juhu, where the school had asked the child to leave but had to accommodate him with a shadow teacher on instructions of the commission.