Odisha Residential School Matron Dismissed, ANM Suspended After Class X Student Delivers Baby Post-Exam

Malkangiri: The district administration on Tuesday dismissed a woman employee of a state-run residential school for SC/ST students and suspended an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM).

They are Lady Matron Suchitra Charchi and ANM (SSD) Kabita Kumari Patra.

This came a day after a 16-year-old delivered a baby at the hostel on Monday evening, hours after she wrote her matric examination papers. The baby was born eight months prematurely, officials said.

She had attended classes and appeared for exams without the school authorities noticing her condition.

Following an inquiry, the district welfare officer had also recommended the government to suspend school headmaster Ajit Kumar Madkami but no decision has been taken on it yet.

Earlier speaking to the media, the girl’s father said that he received a call on Monday afternoon asking him to reach school. “When I reached school I was told that she had delivered a baby. My daughter stayed in the hostel and did not visit home for a long time. An auxiliary nurse midwife regularly does health checks on girl students in the hostel. How did anyone miss signs of pregnancy?” he asked.

The school teachers, on the other hand, blamed the hostel warden for the incident.

Meanwhile, police have detained a youth for questioning in connection with her pregnancy.