Differently abled children deserve better

A child with autism was recently beaten by a special educator in a Noida school. A video caught it all — the hitting, the fear, the helplessness. The boy, just 10 years old and non-verbal, couldn’t scream for help. He couldn’t tell anyone. But the video spoke for him. This is both appalling and deeply telling of a broken system. This is not an isolated aberration. Across India, instances of abuse — physical, emotional and institutional — against persons with autism and intellectual disabilities persist with disturbing frequency. Whether in schools, state-run homes or informal care settings, violations of basic dignity go unchecked, largely due to poor oversight and inadequate accountability mechanisms. What makes this case especially concerning is that the accused was a special educator — someone expected to understand the unique needs and vulnerabilities of autistic children. The teacher has been arrested. The school has suspended him. These are the necessary first steps, but they barely scratch the surface of the systemic rot. The school management, too, must be held accountable for failure to safeguard its wards. We have the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, but its implementation is weak. Laws mean little if schools aren’t monitored, if teachers aren’t trained and if complaints are ignored. We need more than just outrage. We need change. Every special educator must go through rigorous training. Schools must install CCTVs, conduct background checks and create safe spaces for children and parents to raise concerns without fear. This incident should not become just another viral video or a fleeting outrage. It must prompt urgent reforms in how institutions tasked with the care of differently-abled children are run. A society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable. We must not fail our children, especially those who rely on others to be their voice.

Editorials