Photo used for illustrative purpose.

He termed it a "punishment for breaking school rules."

Calling it a "humiliating move," two parents have even complained to the higher authorities of the education department. However, according to the district inspector of schools, nothing in writing has been submitted to her yet.

One of the students, who received a haircut during the school assembly, said: "Our principal, Rajesh Yadav, had asked around 84 students to stand in a line on a separate ground. He then asked all of us to sit on our knees and then started chopping our hair. We pleaded for exemption and assured him that we would get a haircut from the barber but he refused to let us go."

He added that his parents also called the police and staged a protest in front of the school premises.

The principal took pictures and made videos of the punishment which have now gone viral on social media. The faculty members also said that they were "fully in support" of the principal.

"This was the need of the hour to ensure students remained disciplined. These students had been warned many times. They were supposed to come to school with proper hair but many of them had long and coloured hair," said Babita Tomar, a teacher at the school.

The principal said that the students and even their parents were warned of their long hair on various occasions but when they continued to disobey him so he decided to teach them a lesson. He also blamed Covid for "making students disobedient and fashionable."

He said: "Students stayed at home for too long and grew their hair out, there was no one there to stop them. I cut their hair to teach them a lesson. It is my duty to teach students how to be disciplined."

Principal Yadav further claimed that no parents had objected to his punishment.

"Police officials called me but I told them the whole story. They also agreed with me and said what I did was right," he said.

Indo-Asian News Service