Hyderabad school teacher sacked after Class 2 student asked to recite Kalma
Synopsis
A Class 2 student in Hyderabad's Saidabad was allegedly assigned Kalma recitation as homework — and the resulting outrage forced a private school to sack the teacher within days. With a police complaint filed and political parties piling on, the incident has escalated well beyond a single classroom decision into a flashpoint over religious boundaries in education.
Key Takeaways
A Class 2 student at Success the School in Hyderabad's Saidabad was allegedly asked to recite the Kalma as a homework assignment.
Teacher Shaikh Aisha Parveen was formally terminated on 16 July and permanently barred from future employment in the Success group of institutions.
Parents have filed a complaint with local police and demanded a formal investigation into the incident.
VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal condemned the incident as an 'assault on children's constitutional rights.' BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari linked the episode to alleged 'conversion mafia' activity in Telangana — a claim not independently verified.
A private school in Hyderabad's Saidabad area terminated a teacher on 16 July after a Class 2 student was allegedly assigned the recitation of the Kalma — an Islamic declaration of faith — as a homework activity, triggering sharp protests from parents and local residents. The incident, which surfaced through photographs of the student's school diary circulated widely on social media, has drawn condemnation from political and religious organisations.
What Happened
According to parents, the homework task — recorded in the student's diary — directed the child to memorise the Kalma. When families became aware of the assignment, they confronted the management of Success the School, demanding immediate action. Videos of heated exchanges between parents and school authorities also circulated on social media platforms.
Community members subsequently joined the parents in protesting what they described as inappropriate religious imposition on young children, calling for accountability from the institution.
School's Response: Teacher Dismissed
Facing mounting pressure, the school issued a formal termination order on 16 July, addressed to the teacher identified as Shaikh Aisha Parveen. The order stated: 'Your services as Mother Teacher at Success the School are terminated.' It further declared that she is 'permanently disqualified to apply for employment in future in the Success group of education institutions.'
Political and Religious Reactions
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) condemned the incident strongly. VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal said, 'Schools are temples of knowledge, not centres for imposing religious educational kalma or jihadist agendas. The incident of teaching kalma to innocent second-grade students in Bhagyanagar (Hyderabad) is a direct assault on children's constitutional rights and parents' trust. Strict action should be taken against the guilty school management.'
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged the incident was linked to what he called a 'conversion mafia' in Telangana, and implicated the Indian National Congress (Congress) party. In a post on X, Bhandari wrote: 'Rahul Gandhi supports conversion mafia. Congress and Asaduddin Owaisi are hand in glove. Congress is anti-Hindu.' These are political claims made by the BJP and have not been independently verified.
Parents Seek Investigation
Beyond the teacher's dismissal, parents have demanded a formal investigation into the incident and approached local police, insisting that religious content must remain strictly separate from classroom activities. They are pressing for broader accountability from the school management, not just the individual teacher.
What Comes Next
With a police complaint filed, the matter may now move into formal legal channels. The incident has reignited debate in Telangana over oversight of private schools and the enforcement of secular educational standards. How authorities respond to the parents' demands for a wider inquiry will determine whether this remains an isolated case or prompts systemic review of curriculum oversight in the state.
Point of View
But it does not answer the harder question: how did a religious recitation task enter a Class 2 homework diary in a private secular school without any supervisory check? The incident has been rapidly weaponised by political actors — BJP's 'conversion mafia' framing and VHP's 'jihadist agenda' language go well beyond what the verified facts support. What the episode actually exposes is a near-total absence of curriculum oversight in Telangana's private school sector. The police complaint and parent pressure for a wider inquiry are the more consequential threads — if authorities treat this as an isolated personnel matter rather than a systemic failure, the underlying gap in accountability remains wide open.
NationPress
16 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Hyderabad school involving the Kalma?
A Class 2 student at Success the School in Hyderabad's Saidabad area was allegedly assigned the recitation of the Kalma — an Islamic declaration of faith — as a homework activity. Photographs of the entry in the student's school diary circulated on social media, prompting protests from parents and community members.
Who was the teacher dismissed in the Hyderabad Kalma case?
The teacher identified in the school's termination order is Shaikh Aisha Parveen, who was designated as a 'Mother Teacher' at Success the School. The order, dated 16 July, also permanently disqualified her from applying to any institution in the Success group.
What action have parents taken beyond the teacher's dismissal?
Parents have approached local police with a formal complaint and are demanding a broader investigation into the school's management. They are insisting that religious content be kept strictly separate from classroom and homework activities.
What did the VHP say about the Hyderabad school incident?
VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal called the incident a 'direct assault on children's constitutional rights and parents' trust,' and demanded strict action against the school management. He described schools as 'temples of knowledge' and said they must not be used to impose religious content on children.
What are the BJP's claims about the incident?
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged the incident was the work of a 'conversion mafia' in Telangana and linked it to the Congress party in an X post. These are political allegations made by the BJP and have not been independently verified by investigators or authorities.
