Even the attendance register of the students was found segregated based on religion and caste (FILE)
A school in Bihar is allegedly segregating students based on religion and caste, Bihar minister Krishnandan Prasad Verma said, adding that a government inquiry has been launched to probe the case.
The government-run GA Plus 2 School in Lalganj of Vaishali district is allegedly segregating students into different sections and classrooms based on their religion and caste.
Education minister Mr Verma assured that those found guilty in the case will be punished.
"It is unfortunate and wrong if such situation exists in any school. It is against the law to divide students on the basis of their religion and caste in any school," Mr Verma said.
An education officer in Lalganj, Arvind Kumar Tiwari, said he visited the school after complaints were reported about the segregation.
"On the face of it, it appears to be true. We are sending a report to the District Education Officer in this matter and action will be initiated," he said.
Reports said that Muslim and Hindu students were made to sit in different sections and classrooms. Mr Tiwari also found that there were separate classrooms for Dalits, OBCs and upper caste.
In fact, the attendance register of the students was also segregated based on religion and caste. It was found that Dalit and Muslim students could hardly get a chance to visit other classrooms.
The principal of the school in question, Meena Kumari, however, said that students were segregated to ensure the smooth working and implementation of different schemes.
"There was no protest against it by parents and students," she said. Ms Kumar added that "no discrimination took place in the school on the basis of caste or religion".
Students, however, were found playing together, and reaching and leaving school together across religious and caste lines.