While some parents encourage children to carry phones for safety during tuition hours, cases involving drugs or sharp weapons are promptly escalated to the District Education Office (DEO) or even the police.
The brutal stabbing of a Class 10 student Nayan Santani at a school in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad has raised a question – just how safe are campuses? The aftermath of this tragedy has led to surprise bag checks, carried out discreetly. But what educators are discovering inside these schoolbags has left them stunned. One principal said, “It is surprising and worrying. It shows how far student life stretches beyond their classwork. Alongside the expected books and tiffins, there were mobiles, tablets, lighters, cigarettes, vapes, and in one rare case, alcohol in a water bottle.”
Another principal echoed the concern, and said, “We have found whiteners, lipsticks, kajal, nail filers, deodorants, oral contraceptives, condoms and even spare clothes and footwear.” Some schools have found blades, paper cutters and even chains. “Unless parents get a written notification from the school to send these articles, they are not supposed to send them,” an educator explained.
The list of confiscated items grows stranger: playing cards, flashy jewellery, expensive pens, cash far exceeding the Rs 200 limit, and even romantic or pornographic novels. “While parents are informed about confiscated items immediately, they are handed over the items during the parent-teacher meetings. Some parents confide that their children do not listen to them,” admitted one principal. Shockingly, some parents even defend their children’s choices. “Some parents are even comfortable with ‘adult books’ being found and view them as part of ‘growing up’,” said a teacher.
While some parents encourage children to carry phones for safety during tuition hours, cases involving drugs or sharp weapons are promptly escalated to the District Education Office (DEO) or even the police. Yet most schools prefer counselling over punishment. “We majorly rely on counselling as punishment is not the answer. The environment around them influences these innocent children,” said a principal. “If a child brings a blade or a romantic novel, we need to ask why before deciding what to do next.”
Perhaps the most jaw-dropping discovery is an imported energy drink worth Rs 1,500, smuggled into classrooms. An administrator disclosed, “The imported energy drink is now part of a barter system. Students would sneak it in water bottles and trade sips for favours such as getting homework done, completing project work and even securing a seat in class.”
“The bag checks are just scratching the surface. What’s inside reflects the outside environment — homes, screens and streets. Schools can confiscate items, but the real work is helping children understand why they feel the need to carry them in the first place,” a principal stressed.
Psychologists warn that cultural influences and peer dynamics are fuelling this alarming trend. Dr Prashant Bhimani explained, “Peer pressure plays a huge role. If one student brings something, others often follow suit. Popular culture, especially K-pop and web series, influences behaviour, normalising adult habits for teenagers who want to imitate what they see on screen.”
Counsellor Smita Ghosh pointed to an even darker pattern, “Excessive exposure to violence through OTT platforms makes some children believe that they need blades, paper cutters or chains to defend themselves, and that it is normal to use them.” She added, “Blame the environment at home where addictive substances are easily accessible and children are embracing them as an essential part of life.”
(Curated with the help of AI)