Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c15.7

c15.7

The infliction of punishment as a disciplinary measure on the pupil by his teacher is held to be perfectly legal. "In case of strife between teacher and pupil... their mutual litigation is not legal" (*Smṛiti*). The teacher's right to punish is also emphasized by Manu who also gives directions for its exercise by way of indicating its limiting conditions which it would be illegal for the teacher to transgress. "A pupil may be corrected when he commits faults with a rope or the small shoot of a cane but on the back part only of his body, and not on any noble part by any means." Says Gautama: "The correction of a pupil for ignorance or incapacity should be given with a small rope or shoot of a cane; the teacher shall be punished by the king, if he strike with any other instrument."