Kollam (Kerala), Feb 5 The Kerala State Women’s Commission on Thursday took suo motu cognisance of the controversy over a headmistress being denied entry into a school in Kottarakkara in Kollam district for wearing a "churidar".
Commission Chairperson P. Sathidevi said the act violated women’s dignity and directed the Kottarakkara District Educational Officer to submit an urgent report.
The intervention followed an incident in which Sindhu, the headmistress of Neduvathur Eeswaravilasam Higher Secondary School in Kottarakkara, was allegedly denied entry into her workplace for wearing a churidar instead of a sari.
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning when Sindhu arrived for duty and was stopped at the school gate by a security employee.
According to Sindhu, the security staff member told her that the school management had instructed him not to allow her inside if she was dressed in a churidar.
With students and teachers watching, she sat down in protest at the gate, refusing to leave.
Police were later called to the spot and intervened, allowing her to enter the school.
Based on her complaint, the Kottarakkara police registered a case against the security employee, Shashankan.
The FIR states that restraining the headmistress amounted to an act that harmed her dignity.
Sindhu has alleged that the guard acted on explicit directions from the school manager and described the episode as an abuse of authority.
"There is no government order mandating that women teachers must wear saris. I have been repeatedly harassed in ways that make it difficult for me to work," said Sindhu and added that she was humiliated in front of her students and colleagues.
She said she would continue her legal fight until justice is ensured.
The school management, however, has denied the allegations.
The manager has claimed that teachers are free to wear attire of their choice and that no instruction was issued to prevent the headmistress from entering the campus based on her clothing.
The episode has sparked wider debate on workplace dignity and gendered norms in educational institutions.
Women’s rights groups and educators have pointed out that dress codes cannot be enforced arbitrarily or used as a tool of intimidation, particularly against women in leadership positions.
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