The Seventh Day Adventist Higher Secondary School in Khokhra Maninagar area of Gujarat’s Ahmedabad has been under the scanner after a controversy following the brutal murder of a Hindu student by a Muslim minor student. The Gujarat Education Department has now taken strict action against the controversial school. The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board and the Directorate of Primary Education have issued a show-cause notice to the school management. In which they have been ordered to submit detailed explanations and supporting evidence on why the administration of the school should not be taken over by the government and why the school’s recognition should not be cancelled.
The notice comes months after a major controversy linked to the school. On 19th August, 2025, a Hindu student studying in a school was murdered by another Muslim student. This incident created a huge controversy, after which the Ahmedabad City District Education Officer started an investigation into the school through the Education Inspector. During the investigation, several serious instances of negligence related to the accreditation, administration and management of the school came to light.
The education department said multiple notices had been sent to the school management earlier, requesting documents and explanations, but satisfactory responses and supporting evidence were not provided.
Due to the failure to submit proper answers and evidence, the administration of the school was taken over by the government on the recommendation of the District Education Officer. Later, the Seventh Day School filed an application in the Gujarat High Court, from where the school got relief and the order to take over the government was cancelled. The school had argued before the court that it was not given enough time to present its side.
The education department seeks detailed explanations
Now, after the High Court order, the Education Department has given the school a final chance and ordered it to submit all the necessary evidence again. The school will have to submit an immediate explanation before the Director of Primary Education, while the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board has also ordered it to submit its response and supporting evidence before the Secretary by 29th May. If a satisfactory response is not given within the time limit, action, including government administration and cancellation of recognition, may be taken.
The education department has sought a total of 14 types of supporting evidence and clarifications from the school. The most important issue among them is whether the Haripura campus and Maninagar campus (near the church) are running with legal permission or not. The department has noted that there is a discrepancy between the address where the school is currently operating and the address mentioned in the original permission.
Clarification has also been sought on whether the school has obtained a minority status certificate, which trust or society manages the school and why the names of different trusts are found in different documents. The department has also sought evidence on which trust runs both the campuses and whether the respective trusts have a minority certificate.
Questions over affiliation, permissions and land use
The notice also raises serious questions about the approval of the ICSE/CISCE board and the NOC of the state government. It has also been asked to submit documents on the name of the trust. The CISCE affiliation for the current campus of the school has been obtained; if there has been a change in the trust, whether the approval of the Gujarat government and the CISCE board was taken for it or not.
Apart from this, clarification has also been sought on whether prior permission was taken from the competent authority to run the school in two shifts, whether separate staff and separate records were maintained or not. Explanation has also been sought on who owns the land of both the campuses, whether there is a lease or rental agreement and which organisation is operating the land leased by AMC for educational purposes.
The Education Department has also raised serious objections to the affidavit submitted to get approval for Class 12 Science. According to the department, the school had earlier given a written assurance that no other trust-run school or educational institution was functioning on the campus. However, during the investigation, it was revealed that an ICSE board school from Class 1 to 12 was running on the campus. Based on this, the department has asked why the school’s recognition should not be cancelled.
The notice also instructs to submit documents, including fire NOC, building use permission (BU Permission), approved maps and building plans certified by competent authorities.
Questions raised over financial practices
The education department has also raised serious questions regarding the financial affairs of the school. According to the department, the audited accounts have revealed that the school has generated a large income from the sale of books. An explanation has also been sought on the issue of generating income through the sale of books in the school premises despite the prohibition of profiteering under the Gujarat Self-reliant School Rules.
The Education Department is now monitoring the response and evidence submitted by the school. If the school fails to submit satisfactory documents, stricter action may be taken in the future.
