Majuli school chops off students' hair

GUWAHATI: Teachers of a private school in Majuli district chopped off the hair of several students after morning assembly for "indisciplined hair style".
The Majuli district administration has ordered a probe into the incident, which took place on Thursday in Majuli English School, Jengraimukh. It was reported to the administration on Friday. Officials of the district administration were sent to inquire into the matter on Saturday.
While officials in the district administration said 10 to 15 students had to undergo the hair cut on the campus, students alleged the number is nearly 30.
"Today we heard from all stakeholders in the school and everyone came to a consensus to settle the matter," said Deba Narayan Hazarika, assistant commissioner, Majuli.
He said the intention of the principal was to ensure that students maintain "decorum".
Guardians, however, took the matter to the media saying the "ugly haircut" irked them.
"The school has no right to cut hair like a thief getting punished. They have not officially prescribed a haircut," said Basanta Rajkhowa, who identified himself as the father of a victim student.
After the incident, a guardian took his son away from the school and reportedly enrolled him in a different school. "After the students were compelled to undergo a haircut, they were asked to attend classes till the end of the school hour," said a guardian.
A school official told the media that the hair of about 20 to 30% of students were "trimmed". A school employee, along with the head teacher, was allegedly involved in the act, said a school official.
"The students were warned for more than a week. We are strict with the dress code and discipline of the students is thoroughly checked, including their nails and hair. Towards the end of the month we become more vigilant," a school staff member said. He said the head teacher brought the scissors for "disciplinary action".
While there is no prescribed hairstyle in the rulebook of the state education department, the school has a fixed its own set of rules to make the students "disciplined".
Sources said school, located around 30 km from district headquarters, despite catering to the educational needs of a large number of tribal students, many of whom are first generation learners, the school has been producing good results in board examinations.
This is the second such incident in Majuli in recent years. In the previous incident in 2019, a school headmaster was suspended for cutting off the hair of 17 students, who were from the Satras (Vaishnavite monasteries).