Pallavi Sharma
Shimla:
The recent kidnapping of three Class VI students from Bishop Cotton School (BCS) — one of India’s oldest and most prestigious boarding schools — has triggered serious concerns over the school’s student safety protocols, especially during its weekly outings.
What has shocked many is that such a lapse occurred at an institution that charges more than Rs 10 lakh per annum in tuition and boarding fees, raising questions on how could students vanish so easily from a tightly managed campus and why weren’t stronger safeguards in place?
Missing from school, found 24 hours later
The abduction took place on Saturday (August 9, 2025) when the three students left the BCS Forest Gate for their routine weekend outing around Shimla’s bustling Mall Road. The outing, allowed every Saturday from Class IV onwards, lets students explore markets, shop or walk in groups, with minimal supervision from staff for older students.
The accused, Sumit Sood, a 45-year-old alumnus of BCS, reportedly used his familiarity with the school’s routine to lure the boys into his car. Posing as a former student and offering a lift, he kidnapped the children and took them to a remote location in Kotkhai. The incident came to light only around 5 pm — when the students failed to return and a headcount revealed their absence.
They were eventually rescued within 24 hours through a joint effort involving the Shimla police, local residents and law enforcement teams from Punjab and Haryana.
But for many parents, the central question lingers: Should such an incident have happened at all, especially at a school like BCS?
Parents, old students demand stricter security measures
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the parents of a few old students expressed dismay at the school’s security oversight.
“We pay over Rs 10 lakh a year for our child’s education and boarding. There are rules for everything — phones, haircuts meal timings — but how does a child just disappear after walking out the gate? Where are the basic safety measures?” asked the parent of a Class VI student.
Another parent of a former student said, “The school needs to reassess its priorities. If you allow minors to leave the premises without adult supervision, then that’s a breach of trust. Protocols clearly failed here — and this is not acceptable.”
High fee versus safety debate
According to the BCS official website, Indian students pay Rs 7.1 to Rs 8.35 lakh per year as tuition and boarding, Rs 3 lakh refundable caution money, Rs 1 lakh annual imprest account for personal expenses, Rs 65,000 one-time admission fee and Rs 20,000 pocket money for Classes VI to XII. NRI/OCI students are charged even more, with annual tuition at Rs 11.6 lakh.
Despite this steep fee structure, there appears to be no GPS tracking, mandatory escorting or real-time check-in systems for weekend outings — even though the students are minors.
Child safety experts suggest remedial measures
Following the incident, education and child safety experts have suggested several urgent reforms for BCS and other similar boarding schools:
- Adult supervision for all outings: No student below Class IX should be allowed outside campus without an adult escort.
- Mandatory GPS tags or ID scanning: To monitor student movement beyond school gates.
- SMS/real-time alerts to parents: Notifying parents when a student exits and re-enters campus.
- Weekly safety audits: Especially during outings and school holidays.
- Outing permission review: Weekly outings should be reassessed with limited, closely monitored group access.
In response to the crisis, the school management has already held internal meetings and is reportedly planning to revise its outing policies, especially for younger students.
Founded in 1859, BCS is Asia’s oldest residential public school for boys. Its elite alumni, colonial history and scenic campus have long drawn admiration and trust.
“But the recent incident has highlighted a key truth that heritage alone cannot guarantee safety. BCS is supposed to be one of the best. But if ‘one of the best’ can’t even guarantee that a child won’t be abducted from outside its gate, then it needs to ask itself some hard questions,” said an old student.
