The two girls who had first petitioned the court to allow hijab inside classrooms were today turned away from the examination centre of their final class 12 board examination after insisting on attending the examinations wearing burqas, in yet another dramatic event in the Karnataka Hijab ban debate. Aliya Assadi and Resham had received their hall tickets and arrived at the Vidyodaya PU College in Udupi wearing burqas to sit their exams. They tried for around 45 minutes to persuade the invigilators and the college principal but were ultimately denied any exception to the court ruling maintaining the state government’s ban. After then, they were seen quietly exiting the premises without taking the tests.
The second Pre University test (class 12 board exams) is being held by the Karnataka Pre University Board today. A total of 6,84,255 students have registered for the tests, according to the education department. The tests will be held in 1,076 locations across the state, with officers stationed at various locations to ensure that no untoward situations occur as a result of students not adhering to the dress code.
BC Nagesh, the state’s education minister, has stated unequivocally that students will not be permitted to take examinations while wearing the hijab. This comes after a number of Muslim female students petitioned the Minister to allow them to take their final examinations while wearing their hijabs.
Aliya Assadi, a 17-year-old activist fighting the state’s Hijab prohibition, made a renewed appeal to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai last week, claiming he still had a chance “to save our future from being damaged.”
Aliya, a state-level Karate champion, claims that the restriction on hijab or headscarves will prevent many kids from taking the Pre-University exams.
