A government school headmistress in Chhattisgarh has been suspended. This action followed a controversy over a Class 4 English exam question. The question, which named a dog ‘Ram’, triggered allegations of hurting religious sentiments, officials stated on Sunday.
Incident Details and Initial Reactions
The incident involved a question in recent half-yearly English examinations. Students in Class 4 were asked: “What is the name of Mona’s dog?” The question provided four options. These options included ‘Ram’, ‘Bala’, ‘Sheru’, and ‘No One’.
The choice of ‘Ram’ as an option drew objections. Lord Ram is a revered deity in Hinduism. Critics viewed the question as disrespectful to religious sentiments. The matter first surfaced in Mahasamund district, then spread across other districts within the Raipur division. This sparked public controversy and protests from right-wing organizations.
Disciplinary Actions and Explanations
District Education Officer (DEO) Raipur Himanshu Bhartiya confirmed the suspension of Shikha Soni . Soni served as headmistress at Government Primary School, Nakti (Khapri), located in the Tilda development block of Raipur district. The suspension statement was released on Saturday.
Disciplinary proceedings have also begun against Namrata Verma . Verma, a contractual assistant teacher, moderated the paper. Officials are initiating actions to dismiss her from service.
Soni provided a written explanation, admitting the mistake. She stated the word ‘Ram’ was inadvertently printed instead of ‘Ramu’ due to an omitted ‘U’. She claimed the error occurred unknowingly and went unnoticed during review. Soni expressed regret and maintained no intention of hurting religious sentiments or insulting any religion.
Verma, in her explanation, said she was assigned to prepare one of two sets of Class 4 English papers. She admitted failing to notice the word ‘Ram’ properly. Verma called her lapse unintentional and expressed regret.
Further Warnings and Protests
An inquiry committee, composed of five members, investigated the matter. Their findings led to the disciplinary actions. The DEO also issued warning letters to two other officials.
- The Block Education Officer, Tilda , received a warning. This was for not selecting an experienced teacher to prepare the paper.
- The principal of Shaheed Smarak Swami Atmanand Utkrisht School, Raipur , also received a warning. This was for failing to appoint an appropriate moderator for the exam.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a right-wing outfit, conducted protests. They demonstrated outside the DEO’s office in Mahasamund. The group demanded the arrest and dismissal of those responsible for creating the question paper.