The Delhi government has directed all schools in the national capital to accord priority to prompt sharing of all documents and certifications as and when requisitioned by Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs), Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) and Delhi Police officials.
The directive by the government comes after the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) said it was facing certain difficulties in rehabilitation and inquiries into matters where children are victims of crime and or in conflict with the law.
"The first (and perhaps the most crucial) step in such inquiries is to establish whether the person concerned is a child. This determines the approach for the rehabilitation as well as the jurisdiction of different statutory bodies and the applicability of laws," the Directorate of Education (DoE) said in a letter to school principals.
"Heads of all schools are directed to accord urgency and priority in sharing of all the documents and certifications as and when the same are requisitioned by CWCs, JJBs and the Delhi Police officials," it added.
DCPCR Chairman Anurag Kundu had written to the DoE in November last year citing the issues. "The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act 2015 prescribes a clear mechanism for the age determination. In cases where it is not apparent from the appearance that the person is a child, the Child Welfare Committees or Juvenile Justice Boards seek documentation proof such as date of birth certificate from the school or matriculation or equivalent certificate," Kundu had said in a letter.
"However, several delays have been noted. Often, the documents given by the schools are incomplete. Therefore, the schools need to be sensitised about the importance of their actions as the age-determination inquiry can fundamentally determine the future of the child," he added.