Corporal Punishment and Alternative Methods of Disciplining Students

Abstract

This chapter discusses about corporal punishment (CP) which is considered to be a cultural practice in India wherein parents and teachers widely believe that CP is an useful way of disciplining children/students. Corporal punishment is a global public health problem. Evidence indicates that CP is negatively correlated to the mental health of students. Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children (2013) is a wonderful initiative calling all nations to join hands together to save children from harmful punishments. This has led to the initiation of new relevant legislation in several countries. The chapter presents the latest data concerning CP which hints that CP is widely practiced in Puducherry as it is prevalent in other states of India. More than 60% of the teachers in Puducherry schools admitted applying CP in schools and tried to justify it. Teacher’s knowledge about child rights and government policies concerning CP are highlighted in the chapter based on the latest evidence. Finally, the chapter suggests certain alternative methods for disciplining students based on positive experiences of some teachers who are able to manage the students without applying CP.