By The Politics Desk | Bhubaneswar | July 2, 2025
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday visited AIIMS Bhubaneswar to meet the family of the Balasore girl student who is currently undergoing treatment in the Critical Care Unit. The Minister described the incident as “deeply unfortunate” and called for strong administrative and legal action.
During his visit, Pradhan interacted with the medical team attending to the student and assured the family of every possible support from both the Centre and the state. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said, “No matter how much we condemn it, it will still be insufficient. This is a shameful violation of the teacher-student relationship, and the system must ensure that justice is delivered swiftly.”
The student, a minor, was allegedly assaulted by a school staff member in Balasore, sparking widespread outrage and protests across the district. The incident has once again raised concerns about student safety in educational institutions.
“The Chief Minister has also met the family and taken stock of the situation. AIIMS has taken full responsibility for her treatment. I have spoken to the doctors here, and they are doing their best. At this moment, the priority must be to ensure that the girl recovers fully and receives the best medical attention possible,” Pradhan said.
While refraining from making overtly political statements, the Minister emphasised that the matter should not be politicised. “This is not the time to play politics. Providing good medical care and ensuring legal accountability is more important,” he stated.
The Odisha state government has announced an internal inquiry into the matter. Senior officials have been deputed to monitor the girl’s health and coordinate between the hospital and the district administration. Meanwhile, education and women’s rights groups have called for institutional reforms and stronger background checks in school staffing.
Pradhan urged the state government to take “concrete steps as per the law” so that such incidents do not repeat. “We must rebuild trust in our institutions. The teacher-student relationship cannot be allowed to deteriorate further. It is the backbone of our education system,” he concluded.
As of now, the student remains in critical but stable condition at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. No official statement has yet been made by the police regarding arrests in the case.
