'Not essential to Islam': Allahabad HC Rejects UP Student's Plea to Wear Hijab at School

Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has rejected a petition filed by a Class XI student of Tagore Public School in Prayagraj challenging the institution’s uniform policy and seeking permission to wear a headscarf (hijab).

A division bench of Justices JJ Munir and Indrajit Shukla held that an unaided private school can prescribe and implement a uniform dress code for students on its campus.

The court observed that allowing students to alter the prescribed uniform according to individual or religious preferences could affect the purpose of having a common dress code and impact institutional discipline.

The bench also noted that the student had not placed adequate factual or legal material before the court to demonstrate that wearing a headscarf constitutes an essential religious practice in Islam.

Another factor considered by the court was that no other student at the school was wearing a headscarf, including students belonging to the same community as the petitioner.

The petition was opposed by the school authorities, the Uttar Pradesh government and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

The student had approached the High Court seeking an exception to the school's uniform requirements to allow her to attend classes wearing a hijab.