New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the central government and others on a plea seeking directions to compulsorily integrate legal education and self-defense training in school curriculum.
The matter came up before a bench comprising justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan. The counsel, appearing for the petitioner, contended that if the rights are not known to the child, there is no meaning of those rights. After hearing submissions, the bench issued notices to the Centre, states, and union territories. The apex court sought their responses on the plea within four weeks. The plea has been filed by Delhi resident Geeta Rani through advocate Reepak Kansal.
The plea contended that it was essential for every citizen to understand the basic laws in order to assert and protect their fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The plea stressed that it is crucial to incorporate basic legal education into the academic curriculum and also to promote self-defence training at the school level to ensure children could protect themselves in case of any unseen adversaries.
The plea said the NCRB report titled "Crime in India 2022" revealed 1.62 lakh cases of crimes against children registered in 2022, indicating an 8.7 per cent rise compared to 2021. The plea contended that legal education and self-defense education could play a crucial role in preventing delinquency and protecting children from violence.
