St. Dominic's Convent English Medium School, Palakkad

St. Dominic's Convent English Medium School is a private Catholic secondary school, located in Palakkad, Kerala, India. The school was established in 1995 by the Dominican Sisters. The school campus is located in Sreekrishnapuram, a village situated between the major towns Cherpulassery and Mannarkkad. The school is affiliated to CBSE. The school management sparked controversy after the death of Ashir Nanda, a class nine student of the school who hanged herself after writing a suicide note naming 5 teachers for mental torture and public humiliation. Almost all political parties in kerala organised protests against the school management.

History

The school was started in 1995 as a convent and then later on turned out to be an educational institution. The school was initially situated in the Sreekrishnapuram neighbourhood with a limited number of pupils and staff. Then, with the help of the school management and parents the school was shifted to the current place.

Controversies

On 23 June 2025, Ashir Nanda, a Class 9 student of the school, died by suicide at her home shortly after returning from class. A handwritten note, allegedly authored by the student, was later discovered on the back page of a classmate’s notebook. The note reportedly named Principal Joyci O.P. and teachers Stella Babu, A.T. Thankam, Ambili, and Archana. Allegations emerged that the student had faced repeated harassment by school authorities and teachers.

At the time of the incident, Ashir Nanda was placed in a "below-average" division—part of a system in which students were grouped into academic sections based on their internal exam performance. She was reportedly one of only four female students in the lower-performing section. According to a classmate who later spoke to the media and protestors, Ashir had been threatened with demotion and was subjected to humiliation in class.

The incident triggered widespread protests led by student organizations including the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students Federation (AISF), Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Muslim Students Federation (I. U. M. L.) (MSF). Protest marches turned violent, and on 25 June 2025, after sustained agitation by SFI, DYFI (Democratic Youth Federation of India), parents, and local political parties, the school management dismissed Principal Joyci O.P., Stella Babu, and A.T. Thankam. To calm tensions, the management also announced that a public meeting would be held the next day, 26 June, to address concerns and hear parents' grievances.

On 26 June, over 100 police officers, including four Inspectors and three Deputy Superintendents of Police (DYSPs), were deployed around the school. Initially, parents, media representatives, and protestors were denied entry into the premises at the request of the management. However, following mounting pressure from the crowd and local leaders, authorities permitted them to enter the school compound later in the day.

Another major complaint from parents was the school’s handling of communication following the incident. The declaration of a holiday on 24 June was allegedly sent via a brief text and WhatsApp message that simply read: “Tomorrow will be holiday. – Principal.” Many students, unaware of the reason for the holiday or the death of their classmate, reportedly responded to the announcement with emojis and cheerful messages—something that drew widespread criticism for the lack of transparency and sensitivity from the school.

By noon, approximately 250 students from nearby colleges joined an SFI-led march that breached the school’s perimeter, demanding action against teachers Ambili and Archana—also allegedly named in the suicide note. Many current students and their parents joined the demonstrations. Protest banners likened the school to a “Nazi concentration camp.” SFI District Secretary Vipin publicly compared the incident to the 2017 Jishnu Pranoy case at Nehru Group of Institutions.

As media coverage expanded, more parents and students came forward with testimonies about alleged malpractices and unethical teaching methods employed by both the school management and faculty. Several former students also took to social media to share their experiences, describing emotional and academic pressure they said they faced while studying at the institution. Questions were raised publicly about the qualifications of the teaching staff, and criticisms were directed at some parents for continuing to enroll their children in the school despite long-standing concerns.

Later that day, to end the protests, the school management officially announced the dismissal of the remaining two teachers, Ambili and Archana. A new Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) was formed to ensure transparency and ongoing dialogue with the parent community. In addition, the management offered a full refund of school fees for any parent wishing to withdraw their child’s admission in light of the controversy.

Kerala’s Minister for General Education, V. Sivankutty expressed his condolences and promised full support from the state government to the grieving family.

See also

* Education in India
* List of schools in Kerala

References

External links

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Dominican schools in India
Catholic secondary schools in India
Christian schools in Kerala
High schools and secondary schools in Kerala
Schools in Palakkad district
Educational institutions established in 1995
1995 establishments in Kerala

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