The Gujarat school security circular restricting unauthorised entry into government and semi-government school premises has received support from the state school management association, which has also announced plans to seek a review of provisions linked to the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
According to a report by Sandesh, the Gujarat education department issued the circular to strengthen security and maintain discipline in schools. The association welcomed the move, describing it as necessary to protect the school environment and preserve orderly academic functioning.
The association said unauthorised individuals and small political groups had previously entered school campuses without permission in some cases. According to its statement, such incidents disrupted teaching and created disorder within school premises. It said the new rules could help prevent unnecessary disturbances and damage in schools.
The association also said the circular could provide relief to principals and school staff who, it claimed, had faced false or baseless complaints in some earlier instances. The report does not provide details of the number of such complaints or identify the schools involved.
However, the management body has raised concerns about provisions concerning the POCSO law included in the circular. It said some of the related matters and serious provisions require reconsideration and that it plans to submit a formal representation to the state government shortly.
The association is expected to seek either suitable amendments to the provisions or the removal of POCSO-related matters from the circular. The report does not specify the exact clauses being questioned, the proposed changes, or the government’s response to the planned representation.
The dispute places two administrative priorities alongside each other: preventing unauthorised access and disruption in schools, while ensuring that child-protection safeguards remain clear and enforceable. The circular’s practical effect will depend on how schools interpret the access restrictions, how complaints are handled, and how the education department responds to the association’s representation.
The report also does not state when the circular will be reviewed or whether the government has set a deadline for representations. The next formal step is the submission of the school management association’s representation to the Gujarat government.
