Kerala Education Minister V. Sivankutty on October 14 directed St Rita’s Public School in Palluruthy to allow a class 8 student to wear a headscarf, reversing his earlier stance supporting the school’s dress code.

The decision came hours after Ernakulam District Congress Committee president Muhammed Shiyas and Congress MP Hibi Eden met the student’s family and engaged with school authorities.

Eden said the student’s father had agreed to comply with the dress code, but the government’s intervention prioritized constitutional rights over uniform regulations.

Sivankutty described the school’s earlier action — barring the student for wearing a headscarf —as “a serious violation of conduct and a breach of the Right to Education Act,” noting that it also infringed on the fundamental religious freedom guaranteed by the Indian Constitution.

Following an inquiry by the Ernakulam Deputy Director of Education, the minister ordered the school to permit the student to continue her studies while observing her religious belief. While the school can decide on the color and design of the headscarf, it has also been instructed to address the mental distress caused to the student and her family. A detailed report on the matter is to be submitted by October 15, 11 am.

“In a state like Kerala that upholds secular values, no student should face such an ordeal. No educational institution will be allowed to violate constitutional rights. The government will remain vigilant on this issue,” Sivankutty affirmed.

The school, which had remained closed for two days amid the controversy, reopened on October 15.