In Kerala, a dispute over a school uniform has once again placed the hijab at the intersection of education, rights, and institutional autonomy. On Friday, the state government told the Kerala High Court that denying a Muslim girl permission to wear her headscarf (hijab) to school amounted to an “invasion” of privacy, dignity, and a “denial of her right to secular education ,” PTI reports.
The affidavit, submitted in response to a petition from St. Rita’s Public School in Palluruthy, Kochi, framed the issue as one of fundamental freedoms within a secular framework. The government stated that a student’s right to wear the headscarf “does not stop at the school gate”, arguing that uniformity cannot override constitutional liberty.
From classroom rule to courtroom argument
The case began when the church-run St. Rita’s Public School challenged a directive from the General Education Department to allow the student to attend classes wearing her hijab. The school, a minority institution affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), contended that the directive was “illegal” and beyond the department’s jurisdiction.
In its affidavit, the Kerala government maintained that the Education Department has “sufficient functional, financial and administrative control” over CBSE-affiliated schools in specific matters, citing the Affiliation Bye-Laws and related government orders.
During the hearing, the student’s parents informed the court that they had withdrawn her from the school and sought admission elsewhere. The court, acknowledging the withdrawal, chose not to examine the contentious issues further. Justice V. G. Arun observed that “better sense has prevailed” and that “fraternity”, a core constitutional principle, remained intact, according to PTI.
The state’s stand: Rights and reconciliation
Earlier this month, Kerala’s Education Minister, V. Sivankutty, had addressed the controversy directly. “The action taken by the school authorities was unconstitutional,” he said, adding that “a child’s rights cannot be denied,” ANI reports.
He instructed the school to design an appropriate headscarf that aligns with the uniform, offering a practical compromise. If schools fail to comply, the minister warned, the government would take strict action.
Sivankutty also cautioned against attempts to turn such disputes into communal flashpoints, urging that they be resolved amicably at the institutional level. “The government’s stand is clear,” he said. “We will proceed strictly in accordance with the rights enshrined in the Constitution and relevant court rulings.”
A wider pattern: India’s evolving uniform debate
The St. Rita's incident is just the latest chapter in a series of hijab controversies in India that have been unfolding nationwide. These controversies shed light on how schools and colleges are trying to find the right balance between upholding the rules of the institution and respecting the individual's freedom. Institutions from Kerala and Karnataka to Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh have faced these questions: How far can a uniform policy be taken without violating the freedom of religion?
In July 2025, ten students in Chatra, Jharkhand, alleged that a principal forcibly removed their hijabs, a claim later found unsubstantiated by district officials. In May 2025, an investigation was ordered after a student from Khalsa Girls Inter College, Meerut, came into the frame saying she was prevented from wearing a hijab, TNN reports.
In Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, students were sent home for not adhering to scarf colour instructions, while an assistant professor in Karnataka was accused of forcing students to wear hijabs on a field trip.
Each case has unfolded differently. Some through dialogue, others through confrontation, but together they underscore the absence of a consistent policy framework.
Uniformity, autonomy, and the constitutional line
Hijab disputes in Indian classrooms are no longer isolated. They signify the ongoing debate between institutional uniformity and constitutional freedom. As schools endeavor to attain unity and equality by implementing dress codes, the government is still required to safeguard personal choice without compromising order.
The federal system adds another layer: states frame rules differently and managements perceive these regulations through their own cultural and administrative perspectives. The result is a patchwork of local resolutions rather than a national consensus.
The administrative question, however, remains unchanged. Is it possible for a uniform to be absolute?
In fact, Kerala’s case illustrates that the answer may not lie in courtroom verdicts but in thoughtful policymaking. Anything less risks turning governance into a cycle of reactive disputes, and schools into microcosms of larger ideological divides.
(with inputs from agencies)
The affidavit, submitted in response to a petition from St. Rita’s Public School in Palluruthy, Kochi, framed the issue as one of fundamental freedoms within a secular framework. The government stated that a student’s right to wear the headscarf “does not stop at the school gate”, arguing that uniformity cannot override constitutional liberty.
From classroom rule to courtroom argument
The case began when the church-run St. Rita’s Public School challenged a directive from the General Education Department to allow the student to attend classes wearing her hijab. The school, a minority institution affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), contended that the directive was “illegal” and beyond the department’s jurisdiction.
In its affidavit, the Kerala government maintained that the Education Department has “sufficient functional, financial and administrative control” over CBSE-affiliated schools in specific matters, citing the Affiliation Bye-Laws and related government orders.
During the hearing, the student’s parents informed the court that they had withdrawn her from the school and sought admission elsewhere. The court, acknowledging the withdrawal, chose not to examine the contentious issues further. Justice V. G. Arun observed that “better sense has prevailed” and that “fraternity”, a core constitutional principle, remained intact, according to PTI.
The state’s stand: Rights and reconciliation
Earlier this month, Kerala’s Education Minister, V. Sivankutty, had addressed the controversy directly. “The action taken by the school authorities was unconstitutional,” he said, adding that “a child’s rights cannot be denied,” ANI reports.
He instructed the school to design an appropriate headscarf that aligns with the uniform, offering a practical compromise. If schools fail to comply, the minister warned, the government would take strict action.
Sivankutty also cautioned against attempts to turn such disputes into communal flashpoints, urging that they be resolved amicably at the institutional level. “The government’s stand is clear,” he said. “We will proceed strictly in accordance with the rights enshrined in the Constitution and relevant court rulings.”
A wider pattern: India’s evolving uniform debate
The St. Rita's incident is just the latest chapter in a series of hijab controversies in India that have been unfolding nationwide. These controversies shed light on how schools and colleges are trying to find the right balance between upholding the rules of the institution and respecting the individual's freedom. Institutions from Kerala and Karnataka to Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh have faced these questions: How far can a uniform policy be taken without violating the freedom of religion?
In July 2025, ten students in Chatra, Jharkhand, alleged that a principal forcibly removed their hijabs, a claim later found unsubstantiated by district officials. In May 2025, an investigation was ordered after a student from Khalsa Girls Inter College, Meerut, came into the frame saying she was prevented from wearing a hijab, TNN reports.
In Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, students were sent home for not adhering to scarf colour instructions, while an assistant professor in Karnataka was accused of forcing students to wear hijabs on a field trip.
Each case has unfolded differently. Some through dialogue, others through confrontation, but together they underscore the absence of a consistent policy framework.
Uniformity, autonomy, and the constitutional line
Hijab disputes in Indian classrooms are no longer isolated. They signify the ongoing debate between institutional uniformity and constitutional freedom. As schools endeavor to attain unity and equality by implementing dress codes, the government is still required to safeguard personal choice without compromising order.
The federal system adds another layer: states frame rules differently and managements perceive these regulations through their own cultural and administrative perspectives. The result is a patchwork of local resolutions rather than a national consensus.
The administrative question, however, remains unchanged. Is it possible for a uniform to be absolute?
In fact, Kerala’s case illustrates that the answer may not lie in courtroom verdicts but in thoughtful policymaking. Anything less risks turning governance into a cycle of reactive disputes, and schools into microcosms of larger ideological divides.
(with inputs from agencies)
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