Jharkhand: Principal Tell Girl Students To Go Home Without Shirts
80 female students at Carmel School, Jharkhand, were forced to leave without shirts, sparking outrage and calls for the Principal’s resignation.
In a disturbing incident at Carmel School, Dhanbad, Jharkhand, 80 female students were forced to leave the school without their shirts as punishment on January 9, 2025. This shocking event took place on the last day of school for Class 10 students, who were celebrating their final day before preparing for their board exams.
Carmel School, an all-girls institution established in 1956, has always had a tradition called “Pen Day.” On this day, students write messages on each other's school uniforms as a keepsake of their time spent together. However, Principal M. Devashree did not approve of this tradition and reacted angrily. She reportedly claimed that such actions could harm the school’s reputation.
As per the reports, over 100 students wrote on each other's shirts during the celebration. The Principal, instead of allowing the tradition to continue, ordered the students to remove their shirts to prevent them from leaving the school in dirty clothes. While 20 students had spare shirts, around 80 students who did not have spare shirts were made to go home wearing only their school blazers.
This decision caused outrage among parents, who gathered outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office to file an official complaint against the school. Parents were especially upset that their daughters were told to remove their shirts in front of male teachers. Many students were seen crying in distress, and some were reportedly forced to obey the Principal’s orders.
One parent described the incident as "mental harassment" and said, “They were just celebrating Pen Day. If the school had an issue, they should have informed the parents beforehand. How could the school do this just before the board exams? This is only adding to the stress of our children.”
Several students also shared their traumatic experience on social media, with some claiming that their mobile phones were taken away by teachers to stop any recordings of the incident.
In response to the incident, the Deputy Commissioner, Madhav Mishra, has formed a 5-member committee to investigate what happened. MLA Ragni Singh, who is also part of the committee, condemned the actions, calling them “shameful” and saying, “As a woman, it is shocking to see such behaviour towards young girls.” She added that the Deputy Commissioner had assured a fair investigation and promised strict action based on the findings.
On January 11, 2025, Principal M. Devashree told the media, "I did not ask them to open their shirts and go. I told them to leave the school in proper uniform and not to roam around here in dirty clothes."
The investigation is ongoing, with the committee already interviewing school staff and teachers. CCTV footage from the school is also being reviewed to understand what exactly happened. A detailed report will be released, and action will be taken based on the findings.
This incident has left many students, including those in younger classes, feeling traumatized and unwilling to return to school. Parents are demanding accountability from the school management, including the resignation of the Principal.
