Edu Dept holds inquiry on ‘clinical trial’ at school on IIT-M campus
The department’s move comes against the backdrop of several complaints from parents of children studying in the school, who stated that their wards were unnecessarily subjected to the clinical study.
IIT Madras
CHENNAI: With regard to the incident of a feasibility study conducted with students of a matriculation school inside IIT-Madras (IIT-M) campus in August, a high level panel from the School Education Department began its inquiry.
The department’s move comes against the backdrop of several complaints from parents of children studying in the school, who stated that their wards were unnecessarily subjected to the clinical study.
Sources from the department on Friday said that parents were called in the morning to know about their charges. “Additionally, the school management was also questioned in the evening about the issue,” sources added. “The Chief Education Officer asked the management to submit a detailed report about the clinical trial allegations.”
Since the IIT-M replaced the school principal on Wednesday after the feasibility study controversy, and also chided teachers for not obtaining official permission from parents before conducting the study, the premier institute also asserted that clinical trials were not conducted in its campus and there was no evidence of such incidents.
On August 19, the school inside the IIT-M, had allegedly conducted a study for the feasibility of a cost-effective smart insole in the shoe assembled using commercially available items.