In the aftermath of the hijab controversy as well as the difficulties due to the pandemic, as many as 20,994 students chose to skip SSLC exams that began on Monday, March 28. The Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) is yet to find out the reason behind the mass absenteeism, as per a Times of India report.
Last year, the number of students who skipped the exam were only 3,769. Gopal Krishna HN, Director of KSEEB said, "Last year, there was an all-promotion policy. So, most of the students who registered had actually appeared for the exams. Moreover, the exams had multiple-choice questions, where students could attempt on an OMR sheet. However, things are back to normal this year. The number of absentees in the years before was similar to that of the current year."
Even though the board maintained that there were no hijab-related incidents, two such cases were reported at Hubballi and Bagalkot. Reports of an impersonation attempt in Chikkodi said that it was thwarted before the exams started.
Even if there were no absentees due to COVID-19, 336 students took the exams in special rooms which were arranged as they had cold, cough and other symptoms. Strict COVID protocols were followed at all centres.
As far as the exam itself was concerned, many students found that the first language paper on Monday was easy. The principal of a school in Varthur said, "It was easier than the preparatory one. This has boosted students' confidence."
In an incident that raised eyebrows during the exams, a Muslim teacher, Noor Fathima of Siddaganga High School in Bangalore North was asked to leave the duty of invigilator for the day after she allegedly allowed children to enter with hijab.
The office of the department of deputy director of public instruction north, however, said that the teacher was relieved of her duty as she was wearing a hijab. The DDPI said that the teachers too can't be wearing hijabs inside classrooms. The KSEEB reported that it hadn't received an official report on the incident.
