The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) has appealed to the government to introduce an ‘accident and life insurance’ scheme for all school and pre-university (PU) students.
Thippeswamy KT, a member of the KSCPCR, has written a letter to the Chief Minister seeking a Kerala-style scheme.
Apart from this, Mr. Thippeswamy also urged for the introduction of ‘Child Protection in Tourism Policy’ to ensure the safety of children in the state’s tourist destinations.
“Over the past few years, many schools and PU colleges in the state have witnessed deaths and serious injuries due to children falling into hot lunch pots, accidents during school trips and sports events, electrocution, building and infrastructure failures and other incidents. Several complaints have also been registered before the commission in this regard. It is the responsibility of the government and educational institutions to ensure a safe and child-friendly environment for children in the education of school children. “The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015 and the National Policy for Children have also declared the life and safety of children as the primary duty of government,” the letter said.
“When an accident occurs at school or during school activities, it is not enough for children to have only ‘life insurance’ coverage. Life insurance provides compensation only in the event of death. However, in accidents, most children end up severely injured, permanently disabled or in a condition requiring long-term treatment. In such cases, only accident insurance can provide medical expenses, disability compensation and emergency assistance. Therefore, both accident insurance and life insurance are indispensable for children. Schoolchildren and a similar system is need to be implemented in the state,” he added.
Cover
Mr. Thippeswamy sought that all PUC class 1 to II students of all government, aided and private schools and PU colleges in the state be covered under this accident and life insurance scheme and that all accidents occurring on school premises be compensated.
“Rather than taking pity on the lives and safety of children after an accident, creating a scheme to protect them in advance from the financial consequences of an accident is true stewardship for children. The state government should announce this scheme in the state budget 2026-27,” said Mr. Thippeswamy.
Published – 03 Feb 2026 21:04 IST
