Hyderabad school row: Hindu Class 2 student given Islamic verses as homework
Synopsis
A Hyderabad private school fired a teacher after a Hindu Class 2 student was assigned Islamic verses — Kalima and Surah Fatiha — as homework under the 'Deeniyath' subject. The school called it an inadvertent error, but independent MLA T. Raja Singh Lodh says it fits a wider pattern in Telangana and is demanding Chief Minister action.
Key Takeaways
A Hindu Class 2 student at Success school, Saidabad, Hyderabad was assigned Kalima and Surah Fatiha as homework under the Islamic studies subject 'Deeniyath' .
The homework was recorded in the school diary on 15 July ; an earlier entry on 11 July referencing 'Read Kalima' was struck off by the teacher.
The school management termed it an inadvertent error but terminated the teacher and permanently barred her from all Success group institutions.
Raja Singh Lodh condemned the incident and demanded Chief Minister Revanth Reddy act against schools forcing Hindu children to recite Islamic verses.
Lodh also questioned the silence of AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on the controversy.
A private school in Hyderabad's Saidabad area is at the centre of a religious controversy after a Class 2 Hindu student was allegedly assigned Islamic religious verses — Kalima and Surah Fatiha — as homework, sparking outrage from the child's parents and condemnation from a local legislator. The incident, which reportedly took place on 15 July, came to light on 16 July after the parents escalated their complaint to the school management.
What Happened
According to the parents, the homework was recorded in the child's school diary under the subject 'Deeniyath' (Islamic studies), with a note reading 'Read Sura Fatiha'. Earlier, on 11 July, the teacher had written 'Read Kalima' in the same diary — an entry that was subsequently struck off, reportedly after the teacher realised the subject did not apply to non-Muslim students.
Surah Fatiha is the opening chapter of the Holy Quran, while Kalima is the Islamic declaration of faith. Neither is part of the prescribed curriculum for non-Muslim students at the institution.
School's Response
The management of 'Success' school acknowledged the incident but described it as an inadvertent error. In a significant step, the school terminated the teacher's services and announced she has been permanently barred from seeking employment within any institution under the Success group. The management clarified that the vast majority of students at the school are Muslim and are enrolled in the Deeniyath subject, which is explicitly not taught to non-Muslim students.
Political Reaction
Independent MLA T. Raja Singh Lodh sharply condemned the incident, calling it 'deeply shameful.' He alleged that the school management had no adequate response when the parents confronted them. 'This is not the first such case in Telangana; there have been several similar incidents in the past,' he said, suggesting a pattern beyond this isolated episode.
Lodh demanded that Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy take action against schools allegedly forcing Hindu children to recite Islamic verses. The former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA also questioned the silence of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on the matter.
Broader Context
The incident has reignited debate around the regulation of religious instruction in private schools with predominantly minority student populations. Critics argue that administrative oversights of this nature — even if unintentional — can have an outsized impact on interfaith trust. Notably, the school's own swift action in dismissing the teacher suggests the management viewed the lapse as serious, even as they characterised it as a clerical error. Whether state education authorities will conduct an independent inquiry remains to be seen.
Point of View
However unintentional, was indefensible. But the political temperature around this incident risks outpacing the facts: the management's own account describes a clerical error in a school where nearly all students are enrolled in Islamic studies, not a deliberate act of religious coercion. MLA Lodh's claim of a wider pattern in Telangana is serious and warrants scrutiny, but it needs documentation beyond assertion. The real question for regulators is whether private schools with subject offerings tied to one faith community have adequate safeguards to ensure non-adherent students are never inadvertently included — a systemic check, not just a punitive one.
NationPress
16 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Hyderabad school involving a Hindu student?
A Class 2 Hindu student at Success school in Saidabad, Hyderabad was assigned Islamic religious verses — Kalima and Surah Fatiha — as homework under the 'Deeniyath' (Islamic studies) subject on 15 July. The school described it as an inadvertent error and terminated the teacher responsible.
What action did the school take against the teacher?
The management of Success school sacked the teacher and permanently barred her from applying for employment at any institution within the Success group of schools. The school clarified that the Deeniyath subject is not taught to non-Muslim students.
Who is Kalima and what is Surah Fatiha?
Kalima is the Islamic declaration of faith and testimony. Surah Fatiha is the opening chapter of the Holy Quran. Both are central to Islamic religious practice and are not part of the curriculum for non-Muslim students at the school.
What did MLA T. Raja Singh Lodh demand?
Independent MLA T. Raja Singh Lodh demanded that Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy take action against schools allegedly forcing Hindu children to recite Islamic verses. He also questioned the silence of AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on the issue.
Is this an isolated incident or part of a broader pattern?
MLA Lodh claimed it is not an isolated case, stating there have been several similar incidents in Telangana in the past, though he did not cite specific cases on record. The school management maintained the incident was a one-off clerical error.
