Wed Feb 26 03:05:42 UTC 2025: **Odisha School Headmaster, Matron Suspended After 10th Grader Gives Birth**
Malkangiri, Odisha – February 26, 2025 – The headmaster and matron of a state-run residential school in Malkangiri, Odisha, have been suspended following the delivery of a premature baby by a 10th-grade student. The incident came to light on Monday, February 25th, when the student gave birth to an eight-month-old premature baby girl at the hostel after returning from her board exams.
An inquiry launched by the district administration resulted in the immediate dismissal of hostel matron Suchitra Charchi and the suspension of headmaster Ajit Kumar Madkami and an auxiliary nurse and midwife (ANM) Kabita Kumari. The headmaster claimed that men are barred from the girls’ hostel and expressed ignorance about the pregnancy. He also stated that the incident highlighted the ANM’s failure to conduct routine weekly health checks.
The student and her baby were transferred to the Malkangiri district headquarters hospital after initial treatment at the Chitrakonda sub-divisional hospital. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other applicable laws. A suspect is currently being questioned.
The girl’s parents are demanding answers from the school authorities regarding how the pregnancy remained undetected until labor began. District Welfare Officer Srinivas Acharya suggested the girl may have conceived during a school vacation. A departmental inquiry is underway.
First Piper 