Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday expressed deep pain over the death of a professor in student politics-related violence in Ujjain last week.
Dr Singh said he strongly disapproved the action of the students allegedly belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party's students wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in the incident.
"I was deeply pained when I heard of the death of a teacher last week in Ujjain at the hands of unruly students. I am also pained by incidents of disrespectful behaviour by students and some anti-social elements who pretend to be students," he said.
Dr Singh was addressing a large number of award-winning teachers from across the country on the occasion of Teachers' Day.
Prof H S Sabharwal, who was supervising the student union elections of Madhav College in Ujjain, died last week after unruly students who were protesting the cancellation of the polls attacked him.
Asking every parent to teach their children the value of the idea of Acharya Devo Bhava (the teacher is God), the prime minister said he wanted every child, student, parent and citizen to take a pledge not to show disrespect to teachers.
Noting that the teachers have been honoured by the country for their meritorious services, dedication and commitment, Dr Singh said these traits among teachers were today of even greater value 'when crass commercialism and anti-social behaviour is overtaking our educational institutions'.
India needs good, hard-working, honest and caring teachers, he said adding that, in turn, the country must also show respect to teachers, take good care of them, offer them a status that recognises their contribution to society and nation-building.
Observing that interventions need to be designed to address the problems of poor student's achievement and poor class room transaction, Dr Singh said, "There is an urgent need to initiate reforms in curricula, the examination system and development of textbooks in the states at all levels of school education.