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Chandigarh: The Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has issued an advisory recommending that all schools should discontinue the use of knotted necktie as a mandatory component of school uniform to prevent accidental strangulation of children during various activities.

According to the advisory issued by HSCPCR chairperson Tripti Sheoran on July 10, the Commission has taken cognisance of “a series of unfortunate incidents reported from different parts of the country wherein school-going children have lost their lives due to accidental strangulation caused by conventional neckties becoming entangled with swings, wall hooks and other objects during play and routine activities”.

The Commission noted that such incidents, though accidental, are preventable.

“Conventional neckties, which are primarily worn as part of school uniforms for reasons of appearance and discipline, can pose an avoidable risk of strangulation,” it said.

Sheoran said it is inappropriate to expose children to such risks merely for the sake of uniform tradition when safer alternatives are available.

The Commission has advised schools to adopt clip-on (breakaway) or Velcro (quick-release) ties, which detach instantly in an emergency, thereby significantly reducing the likelihood of accidents.

Until such alternatives are adopted, schools should ensure that conventional neckties are not worn during sports, physical education classes, playground activities or any other activity involving a risk of entanglement.

Schools should sensitise teachers, students and parents regarding the potential hazards associated with conventional neckties, the child rights body said.

Schools have also been asked to raise awareness among teachers, students and parents on this issue.

A request has been made to the Haryana School Education Department to immediately disseminate this advisory to all government, government-aided and private schools across the state and ensure that necessary action is taken, it said.

The Commission emphasised that every measure concerning child safety is of paramount importance.

Earlier this month, a 7-year-old boy died while playing with the tie of his elder sibling at their home in Bhiwani district.

Dharam Singh, a police officer in Bhiwani, said, “It was a case of accidental strangulation.” A parent from Panchkula, Viney Kumar, said the Commission has issued the right advisory.

“Sometimes we see schoolchildren getting into fights, which pose a risk as a tie, if pulled suddenly, can harm the child,” the parent of two school-going children, said.

Kulbhushan Sharma, the president of the Haryana chapter of the National Independent Schools Alliance (NISA), which represents nearly 6,000 private schools in the state, said that it will adhere to any guidelines or instructions issued by the government or the school education department.

“Children’s safety is of vital importance to us. If a child is wearing something that raises even the slightest doubt of safety, it should be changed. We will adhere to any instructions coming from the government in the wake of this advisory,” Sharma said.