MP Sudha Murty speaks in the Rajya Sabha during the second part of the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Friday, March 13, 2026. (Sansad TV via PTI Photo)
Nominated Rajya Sabha member Sudha Murty on Friday (March 13, 2026) called for making counsellors mandatory in schools to help children who faced sexual offences.
Follow the Parliament Budget session highlights from March 13, 2026
Participating in a discussion on private member bill ‘The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2024’ moved by Fauzia Khan (NCP-SCP) on February 7, 2025, Ms. Murty also suggested cancellation of registration for schools which do not have such counsellors.
She said survivors of childhood sexual offences want assurance that “it is not your fault…and that assurance can be given by mother at home, or a teacher or a counsellor.” Stressing on the role of a counsellor, Murty who supported the bill, said it is someone “who will have the confidence of the child, who will address the issue because when such things happen, the child should have a friend or someone who can listen to the child and tell the child it is not your fault”.
Ms. Murty said a proportionate number of counsellors must be provided for students in a school after statistical analysis, and it should not be “like one for 2,000 students”.
“If the counsellors are not there in the school, I request the government should cancel the registration of the school because it is very important that both young boys and girls should be very safe in their childhood and they should enjoy childhood without any such bad incidents which will mar their mind,” she asserted.
She also stressed on the need to sensitise parents on how to handle if such an incident happened to their ward and they must be a part of counselling so as to be able to make the child mentally healthy.
Ms. Murty also stated that the POCSO Act must be made a part of the Bachelor of Education curriculum so that teachers understand behavioural changes in children in case of sexual offences and take appropriate further action.
Taking part in the discussion, Ashok Kumar Mittal (AAP) stressed on the need for increasing awareness and steps against child sexual offences and time bound punishment of offenders, including those who commit the crime online.
BJP member Dharmshila Gupta said many of the steps proposed in the private member bill have been already addressed by the government, citing several measures announced for women and child protection under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ghanshyam Tiwari of the BJP said the rising number of nuclear families with both parents working and the mounting pressure on children to build their careers must all be taken into account while looking at the issue of sexual offences involving children.
He said the POCSO Act passed in 2019 stipulates capital punishment for extreme cases of sexual offences against children, even as several instances are not reported by parents as they fear being ostracised by the society.
Moreover, 1,023 special fast track courts have been established including 412 exclusive POCSO courts to expedite the cases under the Act for speedy justice, Mr. Tiwari said.
He emphasised upon the need for support and rehabilitation to the affected children, asserting that the government has enabled the establishment of infrastructure to deal with POCSO cases.
Mr. Tiwari said the compensation provided to the affected children is on the rise, which reinforces the government’s intent to support them.
He said the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita already has stringent provisions in place to deal with sexual offences against women and children incorporating the provisions mentioned in the private member Bill proposed, and therefore there is no need for separate legislation.
Published – March 13, 2026 05:49 pm IST
