The State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has directed Jamnabai Narsee School, Juhu, to continue schooling a sevenyear-old autistic boy, albeit with the help of a shadow teacher (an educational assistant for a single special needs child).

The commission, whose chairperson is Ujjwal Uke, heard an application filed by the boy’s parents in April pursuant to an order of the Bombay high court. A doctor’s team had the boy under observation and had concluded that he was fit to attend school. The commission upheld the report, which said the child should have a shadow teacher assigned to him.

The school, run by the Narsee Monjee Education Trust, attacked the report on the grounds that the observation period was not enough. It also took recourse to its minority status (Gujarati) and cited a string of research findings and studies to state that the boy’s integration was not advisable. The commission rejected these. The child’s parents’ advocate Pradeep Havnur said, “It is important for the child’s normal growth that he be allowed to attend the school.”

Psychiatrists have hailed the decision. Harish Shetty, senior psychiatrist at LH Hiranandani Hospital, said, “This will have an impact on other schools too. All schools should take note of the order.”

• JUL 6, 2012 Jamnabai Narsee School tells the boy’s parents he cannot continue there
• JULY 11 The boy is denied permission to attend class
• JULY 18 The parents file a complaint against the school at the child rights commission
• OCT 1 Paediatrician Dr Samir Dalwai submits a report to the panel, stating the school should include the boy
• NOV 1 The panel orders the school to take back the child under a shadow teacher and keep him under observation for 15 days
• NOV 26 The parents file a petition in the HC, stating that the 15-day stipulation is contrary to the RTE Act
• DEC 20 The court orders the panel to set up an expert committee to observe the child for a month MAY 2013 | The expert panel says the child is fit to go to school with a shadow teacher
• JUNE 4 The school rejects the panel’s report, saying it observed the child for 11 days instead of 30. The panel observes the child for the remaining 19 days and submits another report
• SEP 10 The child rights panel holds its final hearing
• OCT 23 It orders the school to take back the child