The Kerala High Court on Thursday questioned the suspension of a teacher accused of framing a controversial quiz question about Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar.
Justice Viju Abraham asked the government why Guru Prasad Rai, a teacher at an aided upper primary school, was suspended over the question.
During the hearing, the court questioned whether the teacher had committed any illegal act and asked whether suspension was necessary when disciplinary proceedings had already been initiated against him.
The court observed that the teacher may have had a particular intention while framing the question, but questioned whether he could be suspended merely for setting an incorrect question.
What was the controversial question?
The controversy arose over a question in a school-level quiz that asked:
“Who is the freedom fighter who received the most punishment at the hands of the British?”
The teacher had reportedly written VD Savarkar as the answer.
Rai has challenged his suspension before the High Court.
Court seeks specific reason for suspension
The Kerala High Court directed the government to explain the specific grounds on which Rai was suspended.
The court has scheduled the next hearing in the case for August 17.
Quiz held on August 6
The disputed question was part of the School-level Social Science Club Freedom Quiz 2026, held on August 6 for students from the Lower Primary, Upper Primary and High School sections in the Kumbla and Manjeshwar sub-districts.
The Lower Primary questionnaire contained 15 questions and five tie-breaker questions. The disputed Savarkar question was among them.
The question triggered protests and prompted education authorities to launch an inquiry.
Following the controversy, Snehal Kumar Singh, Director General of General Education, suspended Rai on Sunday.
The High Court’s intervention comes as it examines whether the suspension was justified and whether the teacher’s action warranted such a penalty.
