Jashn-e-Alvida – a Rajasthan school gives Urdu name for farewell function, faces education dept probe

As photos of the card went viral, the Baran’s District Education Office set up a three-member team to conduct an inquiry. According to the order issued by the office, ‘Jashn-e-Alvida’ was inscribed on the invitation card “contrary to the departmental guidelines”.

The investigation committee is led by Devendra Singh, Chief Block Education Officer, Kishanganj, and has principals from two other schools as members. They visited the school on Tuesday.

Devendra Singh said the probe report was being prepared and would be submitted soon. He did not elaborate on the findings.

School principal Vikesh Kumar told The Indian Express that the event was a ceremony to recognise talent and bid farewell to class 12 students.

“There are some Muslim students in the school, and they suggested and gave this title for the function. Then, at the School Development Management Committee (SDMC) meeting, the parents also consented to the name,” Kumar said.

However, after the invitation cards were printed, Kumar said it was felt that the name was not in line with “government parlance”.

“We withdrew the cards, but a few were left with the students who made them viral. It was also picked up by the media,” the principal said.

He said that officials conducting the investigation came to the school on Tuesday and “collected various things… including the proposal by students, the staff meeting details, the videos of the programme, newspaper cutting, etc.”

Journalists, SDMC members and others were also present during the investigating committee’s visit, Kumar said.

Taking to X, Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra said that “the Prime Minister is getting enchanted by the fragrance of ‘Jahan-e-Khusrau’” and in the Assembly, “the ministers and the MLAs are using Urdu poetry to make their point.”

“But here an enquiry committee has been formed for writing Jashn-e-Alvida… how ridiculous,” Dotasra said.