New Delhi, March 13 Nominated Rajya Sabha member Sudha Murty called for making counselors mandatory in schools to help children who have experienced sexual offenses.
Participating in a discussion on the private member bill 'The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2024', moved by Fauzia Khan (NCP-SCP) on February 7, 2025, Murty also suggested canceling the registration of schools that do not have such counselors.
She said survivors of childhood sexual offenses want assurance that "it is not their fault...and that assurance can be given by a mother at home, or a teacher or a counselor."
Emphasizing the role of a counselor, Murty, who supported the bill, said it is someone "who will have the child's confidence, who will address the issue because when such things happen, the child should have a friend or someone who can listen to the child and tell the child it is not their fault."
Murty said that a proportionate number of counselors must be provided for students in a school after statistical analysis and it should not be "like one for 2,000 students."
"If the counselors are not there in the school, I request the government to cancel the registration of the school because it is very important that both young boys and girls should be very safe in their childhood and they should enjoy childhood without any such bad incidents which will mar their mind," she asserted.
She also stressed on the need to sensitize parents on how to handle if such an incident happens to their ward and they must be a part of counseling so as to be able to make the child mentally healthy.
Murty also stated that the POCSO Act must be made a part of the Bachelor of Education curriculum so that teachers understand behavioral changes in children in case of sexual offences and take appropriate further action.
Taking part in the discussion, Ashok Kumar Mittal (AAP) stressed on the need for increasing awareness and steps against child sexual offences and time-bound punishment of offenders, including those who commit the crime online.
BJP member Dharmshila Gupta said that many of the steps proposed in the private member bill have already been addressed by the government, citing several measures announced for women and child protection under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ghanshyam Tiwari of the BJP said that the rising number of nuclear families with both parents working and the mounting pressure on children to build their careers must all be taken into account while looking at the issue of sexual offenses involving children.
He said the POCSO Act passed in 2019 stipulates capital punishment for extreme cases of sexual offenses against children, even as several instances are not reported by parents as they fear being ostracized by the society.
Moreover, 1,023 special fast track courts have been established including 412 exclusive POCSO courts to expedite the cases under the Act for speedy justice, Tiwari said.
He emphasised upon the need for support and rehabilitation to the affected children, asserting that the government has enabled the establishment of infrastructure to deal with POCSO cases.
Tiwari said the compensation provided to the affected children is on the rise, which reinforces the government's intent to support them.
He said the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita already has stringent provisions in place to deal with sexual offences against women and children incorporating the provisions mentioned in the private member Bill proposed, and therefore there is no need for separate legislation.