All institutions will follow hijab ban during PU exams, says K'taka Edu Minister BC Nagesh

Pre-university exams are set to begin in Karnataka from April 22. In light of the recent controversy over Muslim students being banned from wearing hijabs and the order of the Karnataka High Court that prohibited students from wearing hijabs inside the classroom, the Karnataka's Education Minister BC Nagesh has said that students will not be able to wear hijabs to the exam halls either. This directive will be applicable to all institutions, including privates ones, he added. Around 6,84,255 students are set to appear for these exams.

In response to the Minister's statement, Almas, one of the students from the pre-university college in Udupi where the controversy first began, took to Twitter to say that her preparations for the exams will go in vain if she is not allowed to write it because of the hijab. Almas was also one of the petitioners in the case at the Karnataka High Court.

According to a report by The News Minute, some teachers were also directed by their institutions to not wear hijabs when they come to conduct the exams. However, Minister Nagesh has said that the Karnataka High Court's order does not extend to teachers or impose a dress code on them. However, the Minister also added, "There are a few instances of teachers wanting to wear their hijab to the exam centres and these teachers have been relieved of exam duty."

It is the college managements that are directing teachers to not wear the hijab in order to support the students, he said, while adding that the government does not impose any restrictions on teachers.

In March, the Karnataka government had taken action against teachers and school managements for allowing students with hijabs to write the SSLC exams. The Education Minister had also announced that no special examination will be conducted for those students who missed the exam protesting for the hijab.

A Special Leave Petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against the Karnataka High Court's decision. However, it has not been listed for hearing yet. When an urgent hearing was requested by the petitioners in light of the approaching exams, the Chief Justice of India said that the matter had nothing to do with exams.