BENGALURU: Despite training college authorities frequently about dos and don’ts, warning them and issuing guidelines about frisking students during the Common Entrance Test (CET) 2026, three students were forced to remove their janivara (sacred thread) by the staff of a college in Koramangala on Thursday, the first day of CET.
The college has suspended three staffers in connection with the incident.
The parents of the three students filed a complaint at the Madiwala police station on April 24 morning.
Anand S Theertha, Nakul H and Anirudh R Rao are the three students who were forced to remove their ‘janivara’, despite refusing and arguing with the college authorities.
It violates religious freedom, say parents
Anirudh’s father Raghu Bhima Rao stated in his police complaint, “My son was forced to remove the thread with the warning that he would not be allowed into the exam hall otherwise. This is unacceptable and against KEA (Karnataka Examination Authority) guidelines. It violates personal choice, religious freedom and has caused significant emotional distress to my son. Either K-CET or the college authorities must be held responsible.” He also urged the authorities to bar the college from conducting exams in the future.
Nakul’s father Harish told TNIE, “What college authorities did was not right. It happened on the first day of CET on Thursday (April 23). First, my son was asked to remove an earring, and then a thread on his hand. He agreed to remove them. But he was called back again and was forced to remove the janivara. He called up his mother and she rushed to the college. The thread wasn’t cut. He removed it and handed it over to my wife.”
He said, “Though there was no delay in entering the exam hall, my son panicked and wasn’t able to attempt all the questions. He had prepared better for CET than the board exams. We have filed a police complaint. We don’t have a clue as to what to do next.” Nakul attended second PU at Oxford PU College.
Anand’s parent Sudheendra said, “When my son was told to remove the thread, he called me on my phone and asked if he could remove it. I told him not to. But by then he had removed it. After the first paper, I entered the college campus and went to the principal’s chamber. All the three parents were asked to wait for 45 minutes and later, the blame was shifted on peons. The principal told us that they had trained the staff not to ask students to remove mangalsutra, janivara or any other items worn for religious reasons.”
The college principal issued suspension letters to the staff members for allegedly asking the students to remove the janivara.
Higher Education Minister Dr MC Sudhakar said, “Strict action must be taken against the staff of the college if this incident has taken place. All the staff of the colleges where the exams were conducted on April 23 and 24 were trained by the Karnataka Examination Authority directly and guidelines were issued about the dos and don’ts. Despite that, such incidents repeat and it is sad. We don’t know if they do it purposely or if someone is supporting such acts.”
KEA officials stated, “This is a sensitive issue and the KEA has explained the dress code very clearly. Referring to a similar incident that took place last year, it has been clearly stated in the training that religious items such as Janivara, Linga etc. should not be removed. An inquiry has been conducted by senior officials and legal action has been taken immediately as per the rules and a full report has been requested to be submitted.”
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.