4 August 2024: A ninth-grade student, Farman Ali, was expelled from an intermediate college in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, for maintaining a beard. His elder brother, Zeeshan Ali, has filed complaints with the Chief Minister and District Magistrate, demanding action against the college’s decision, reported the Clarion India.
Zeeshan Ali, a resident of Mohalla Nai Basti, reported that the principal had been pressuring Farman for the past month to shave his beard. Upon Farman’s refusal, the principal threatened expulsion and failing grades. On July 31, when Farman arrived at the college, the principal denied him entry to classes, stating, “This is a college, not a madrasa. If you come here with a beard, you must shave it off. You cannot study here like this.” The principal then expelled Farman from the institution.
Zeeshan asserted that the college has imposed a ban on attending classes with a beard and has sought an official order to justify this requirement. The principal allegedly responded that the college was not a madrasa and reiterated the demand for Farman to shave his beard or face removal from the school roll.
The principal claimed that the action was taken due to Farman’s non-compliance with the college’s uniform and discipline rules, raising questions about whether expulsion for not adhering to uniform regulations is justified.
The incident has drawn attention on social media, with the video of Farman’s expulsion going viral, prompting widespread debate on the college’s stance and the broader implications for personal freedom and religious expression in educational institutions.
