UP School Asks Students Not To Wear Tilak And Kalawa In Classroom, Faces Backlash

A private school in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr faced strong backlash this week after its principal issued a circular instructing students not to wear tilak (a religious mark on the forehead) or kalawa (sacred thread) inside classrooms. The directive issued earlier this week was quickly withdrawn following protests by parents and members of right-wing organisations.

Naresh Kumar Singh, the school principal, later expressed regret over the decision. He said the order was rolled back “immediately” in view of “people’s sentiments.” The institution, which runs classes from Grade 1 to 8, also released a statement assuring parents that it respects religious practices.

School manager Gajraj Singh clarified that the administration does not endorse any policy that could hurt cultural or religious feelings. “As soon as the matter came to our attention, we instructed the principal to withdraw the order and issue an apology,” he said.

Probe Ordered After School Faces Backlash

Despite the withdrawal, the controversy triggered a probe by the district education department. Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Lakshmikant Pandey confirmed that an inquiry had been initiated to look into the incident and assess whether any official rules were violated. Meanwhile, local police said they had not received any formal complaint.

The matter gained traction when children informed their families that they were asked to remove tilak and kalawa before entering classrooms. On Thursday, several parents, joined by activists from Hindu Jagran Manch, staged a protest outside the school.

Ravinder Sharma, a local coordinator of the organisation, alleged that students had been compelled to remove religious symbols, upsetting parents. “The principal admitted his mistake and apologised, assuring us that this will not happen again. But we still want the education department to ensure strict action in such cases,” he said.