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Synopsis

The Madras High Court has raised serious concerns about escalating violence among college students. Court emphasized the urgent need for systemic reforms and recommended formation of a special committee comprising statesmen, scholars, psychoanalysts, representatives from the departments of human resource development, higher education, school education, and the police to address the root causes of rising student aggression.

The bench of Justice A.D. Jagadish Chandira passed the order while closing bail-related proceedings involving four students accused in a violent altercation that led to the death of a Presidency College student. The accused, students of Chennai's Pachaiyappa’s College and Presidency College, had earlier been granted bail on the condition that they serve in trauma wards of government hospitals — a directive aimed at cultivating a deeper appreciation for the value of life.

However, during the hearing in the matter, court took serious note of the disturbing trend of frequent clashes between students of the two colleges. Therefore, court suo motu impleaded educational authorities and the principals of two colleges to explore the preventive measures against student violence and promote social peace and welfare.

In pursuance of court's direction, the police submitted a report which revealed that 231 student-related criminal cases had been registered over the past decade, including 58 involving Pachaiyappa’s students and 28 from Presidency.

Recalling the illustrious legacy of the colleges involved — with Pachaiyappa’s College boasting alumni like Srinivasa Ramanujan and C.N. Annadurai, and Presidency College counting Nobel Laureate C.V. Raman among its former students — the court said it was “disheartening” to see such historic institutions mired in violence.

However, Justice Chandira made it clear that institutions cannot wash their hands of responsibility merely because these incidents occur off-campus or involve a limited number of students. Instead, he urged educational authorities to begin character-building efforts as early as school level, emphasizing regular parent-teacher interactions and early identification of behavioral issues.

Furthermore, court expressed deep concern over the parental disconnect in such cases. Many parents were reportedly unaware of their children’s violent tendencies, despite making financial sacrifices in the hope that they would become first-generation graduates.

"In many similar cases, where the students are said to have involved in criminal activities, this court had also occasion to see that they had been brought up by a single parent, mostly by mother, with meagre income or daily wages," court highlighted. 

Moreover, court took note of inputs from the Student Federation of India and the NGO Satta Panchayat Iyakkam, which had moved to intervene in the case to propose solutions. These organizations had highlighted the importance of student engagement and institutional responsibility in preventing campus-related violence.

:Criminals are made, not born. No parent wants their child to become an anti-social element, and dedicated teachers strive to instill ambition and good values. Society too cannot tolerate such behavior. The root cause may lie in a lack of empathy rather than sympathy," said the court. 

Therefore, after reviewing all submissions and reports court held that the issue demanded urgent intervention by the educational authorities. 

Case Title: Chandru and others vs. The Inspector of Police, G-2, Periamet Police Station, Chennai District and others