A day after a hijab controversy erupted at St. Rita’s Public School in Palluruthy in the Ernakulam district of Kerala, the state government has intervened by directing the school to allow hijab on the school premises. On Tuesday (13th October), Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty, disregarding the school dress code, directed the school to allow an eighth standard female student to wear hijab in the school. The management of the CBSE-affiliated school, run by the Latin Catholic Church, had declined the female student’s request to be allowed to wear a hijab, citing the school dress code.
Notably, the State Education Minister’s directive came hours after the Hijab issue was apparently resolved following a meeting between the student’s father and the school authorities in the presence of Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden and some Congress leaders. “My daughter will continue to study at the same school following the uniform. I don’t want to see the issue being exploited by certain quarters,” the girl’s father had said.
The State Education Minister V Sivankutty said that an investigation was conducted by the Ernakulam Deputy Director of Education based on the complaint filed by the student’s father. He added that the Deputy Director of Education found serious lapses on the part of the school authorities. He further said that the expulsion of the female student from class for wearing a Hijab was a gross misconduct and a violation of her educational rights.
“The action taken by the school authorities was unconstitutional”, he added, speaking to ANI.
Thiruvananthapuram | On Catholic school shut for two days after row over student wearing hijab, Kerala Education Minister V. Sivankutty says, "There was an issue at St. Rita’s School in Ernakulam regarding students’ uniforms, and a child was not allowed to enter the classroom.… pic.twitter.com/U2GcOMOCcM
— ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2025
The Education Minister directed the school that the student should be granted permission to continue her studies wearing a Hijab, which is part of her religious belief. He said that the colour and design of her Hijab can be decided by the school authorities. He asked the school principal and manager to submit a report before 11 am on October 15, 2025.
This comes after the Kerala High Court granted police protection to the Christian school on Tuesday, after it faced aggressive demonstrations by the student’s family and relatives. The school remained shut for two days after the demonstrations. According to the school’s petition, the student’s father and several others stormed the campus on October 10, manhandled security staff, and raised slogans just as kindergarten children were arriving, triggering panic and chaos. The school accused local police of inaction and approached the High Court for urgent protection. The incident caused a communal tension in the area, as the school authorities alleged that the student’s guardians were mobilising other Muslim parents to join the protests.
Justice N Nagaresh, hearing the plea, noted that the school had operated as a secular institution since its founding in 1998 and that all parents had signed declarations agreeing to abide by its uniform code. The Court cited the precedent in Fathima Thasneem v. State of Kerala, emphasising that individual rights cannot override institutional discipline.
