Tue Mar 11 16:19:50 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Nadu to Dismiss 23 Teachers Facing POSCO Charges
**Chennai, March 11, 2025** – The Tamil Nadu School Education Department announced the dismissal of 23 government school teachers and non-teaching staff facing charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The dismissals follow a departmental investigation into 46 cases, fulfilling a March 10th deadline set by School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi. While 56 cases were initially under review, 104 cases remain pending disciplinary action. The Minister also stated that the educational qualifications of those dismissed will be revoked.
The decision has drawn mixed reactions. J. Robert, leader of the Secondary Grade Seniority Teachers’ Association, criticized the dismissals, arguing that teachers are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. Child rights activist Devaneyan Arasu, however, welcomed the move, highlighting it as the first such outcome of a 2012 government order. Arasu stressed the need for comprehensive child protection policies within schools and increased teacher awareness. He also called for a state-level expert committee on child rights to facilitate the resolution of such cases. The department stated that investigations into the remaining pending cases are ongoing.
First Piper 