Students pulled out of exam over hair length at Mumbai's Charni Road school

MUMBAI: A video that went viral on social media showed a parent alleging that his son and a few other students were pulled out of an ongoing exam at St Theresa School in Charni Road, near Opera House, over their hair length.

The incident triggered a brief disruption before police stepped in.

In the video, the parent claimed that his son had cut his hair three times in the past month and that the students were being needlessly harassed despite their appearance being within acceptable limits. He said he called the police after the students were not allowed to continue writing their paper.

Officials from V P Road police station, who responded to the call, told TOI that the school administration maintained it was enforcing its prescribed rules. “The school made it clear that they have certain rules and regulations that students are required to follow,” an officer said. The police added that the situation was resolved shortly afterwards and the students were allowed to resume their exams.

However, a teacher from the school, requesting anonymity, said the interruption did affect the students and could have been avoided. “The students were eventually allowed back, but they had already lost valuable writing time. Issues like haircuts should ideally be addressed separately and not during an examination, as it disrupts students unnecessarily,” the teacher said.

The teacher also pointed to the institution’s grooming policy, stating that a student’s hair “should be short enough that it cannot be gripped in the hands”, indicating the basis on which the action was taken.

The incident has sparked debate online over the enforcement of school grooming norms during examinations and whether such measures disproportionately affect students.