📷 Image: Hindustan Times (via NewsData)
Education
Kolkata Teacher Suspended After Asking Student to Remove Tilak, District Inspector Says
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 05 Sep 2026, 03:19 AM
👁 6
A school teacher in Kolkata has been suspended after a district school inspector issued a notice for asking a student to wipe off his tilak, the school secretary said.
The secretary of a Kolkata school, S. Chowdhury, confirmed that the institution has suspended a teacher for requesting a student to remove his tilak. The disciplinary action followed a formal notice received from the district inspector of schools on Thursday, according to the Hindustan Times.
The notice, issued by the district education authority, cited violation of the school's secular policy and the right of students to practice their religion without coercion. The teacher's request to wipe off the tilak was deemed an infringement of these guidelines.
School officials said the suspension is effective immediately while an internal review is underway to determine further steps. No comment was obtained from the teacher involved.
The incident has sparked discussion about the balance between religious expression and school regulations in educational institutions across West Bengal.
The notice, issued by the district education authority, cited violation of the school's secular policy and the right of students to practice their religion without coercion. The teacher's request to wipe off the tilak was deemed an infringement of these guidelines.
School officials said the suspension is effective immediately while an internal review is underway to determine further steps. No comment was obtained from the teacher involved.
The incident has sparked discussion about the balance between religious expression and school regulations in educational institutions across West Bengal.