The Commission has asked the state Chief Secretary to submit the report within four weeks.
An NHRC spokesperson said the action was taken following allegations that Dalit children in Kurayur village of Madurai district were barred from admission to the government middle school by dominant Hindu caste people.
"Reportedly, they are forced to study at a missionary-run government aided school on the border of the village. The Commission has taken cognisance of the issue on the basis of a media report forwarded by a complainant.
"Allegedly, the school officials, who have been working in the Government Middle School since early 1990, said that they did not recall even a single Dalit student ever studying in the village school," the spokesperson said.