Class VIII girl asked to remove tilak before entering class

As reported by the Times of India (TOI), a recent incident at a private charitable trust-run school in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, stirred tensions between the administration, a student’s family, and a right-wing group.

The dispute began when a teacher reportedly requested a student in Class VIII to remove her tilak before entering the classroom. Although the girl complied, she later informed her parents.

The next day, her family, accompanied by members of a local right-wing group, confronted school authorities. According to TOI, Rajiv Bhatnagar, the group’s state president, said: “Wearing a tilak is our tradition, and children from the Hindu community should be encouraged to don it.” 

He added that the teacher’s action had upset the student’s family, prompting their intervention. In response, both the teacher and principal apologised, committing not to repeat the error.

The principal clarified that the school does not prohibit tilaks and that the teacher only asked the student to wear a smaller one. A senior official from the education department noted the student had just returned from a wedding, where she wore an unusually large tilak.

“It was larger than usual, which led the teacher to ask her to wash her face. The issue escalated from there, but all stakeholders have resolved the matter among themselves," he concluded.

Director General of the State Education Department Jharna Kamthan has ordered the Tehri Chief Education Officer to investigate and seek an explanation from the school, as reported by TOI.