A private school in Hyderabad fired a teacher after she allegedly assigned a Hindu student homework to learn and recite the Kalma—an Islamic declaration of faith. The student's parents saw the assignment and objected right away. ‘Success the School’ management sent a termination letter to teacher Shaik Aisha. The letter told her, “You are permanently disqualified from applying for employment in any institution under the Success Group of Education.”
Where the Kalma Row Starts?
The issue started when the parents of a six-year-old boy discovered that his homework diary for July 15 included instructions to read the “1st and 2nd Kalma” and “Fatiha.” Upset, the family met school management, challenged the assignment, and demanded strict action against the teacher.
They also pointed out that a similar note—“Read Kalma”—had appeared in their son’s diary on July 11 but was later scratched out, apparently after the teacher realized it wasn’t appropriate for a non-Muslim student. News of the incident quickly turned political. Several BJP leaders visited the student’s family and called for a detailed investigation into the school.
24 Muslims and Only One Hindu Student
Police have started a preliminary inquiry. Reports say the teacher explained to investigators that there are 25 students in the class, and only one is Hindu. She said she wrote the homework in the wrong diary by mistake. The school management also said the incident was an unintentional error. Most students are Muslim and take Islamic studies classes. Non-Muslim students aren’t required to learn that subject. The management insisted that the homework assignment ended up with the wrong student by accident.
NHRC Notices to Telangana Govt
The NHRC bench sent notices to several top officials—among them, Telangana’s Director of School Education, the District Magistrate, and Hyderabad’s Police Commissioner. They didn’t just send letters; they asked for action. These authorities must investigate and file an Action Taken Report within two weeks. After the NHRC intervened and public outrage picked up, local police finally registered a First Information Report against the school’s management.
Political leaders from various parties, including the BJP and Congress, have condemned the incident, demanding strict institutional accountability to ensure secular practices are maintained in educational facilities.
