Why we need a law, not a guideline.

India already has the UGC Anti-Ragging Regulations (2009) for higher education, and POCSO for sexual offences against children. School-level bullying — verbal, social, physical, cyber — sits in a regulatory gap. CBSE circulars and NCPCR guidelines exist, but they are advisory. A school can follow them, or not.

A guideline tells a school what would be nice. A law tells a school what is required. That single difference is why a child in Oslo, Stockholm, Tokyo, Seoul, London, or Sydney has legal protections that a child in Delhi or Bengaluru does not.

What we are asking Parliament to do

• A statutory definition of school bullying — including cyber.
• A duty on every school (public and private) to prevent, investigate, and act.
• A national reporting standard, with annual public data.
• Mandatory teacher training and counsellor access.
• Independent escalation route for families, beyond the school itself.