‘If You Don’t Remove It, You Can’t Write’: Outrage In Bengaluru As Brahmin Students Forced To Remove Sacred Thread ‘Janeu’ Before CET Exam — Watch

Karnataka is in the midst of a row after some Brahmin students claimed they had to take off their religious thread or Janeu’ to sit for the Common Entrance Test (CET) in a Bengaluru college. The controversy reportedly occurred at Krupanidhi College in Madivala, where students alleged that the invigilators prevented them from entering the examination hall if they did not take off the sacred thread. The CET is a mandatory test for professional course admissions, adding to the trauma of the incident.

Watch: What Students Said When Brahmin Students Forced To Remove Sacred Thread ‘Janeu’ Before CET Exam 

Students have claimed that they had no alternative but to follow this demand to appear for the exam. A student said that when he reached the centre at 9:40 AM, he was refused entry because of the ‘Janeu’. He claimed invigilators made it clear that he would not be permitted to take the exam until he took it off. Other students claimed they were similarly asked to remove it, while some alleged that even wrist threads such as Mauli or Kalava were removed. The student claimed that he was ‘devastated and frustrated’, and it impacted on his exam performance.

Is This The First Time Brahmin Students Forced To Remove Sacred Thread ‘Janeu’ Before CET Exam?

The authorities face a challenge from parents who gathered at the centre after the test because they showed that the government had issued clear instructions which protected students’ rights to keep their sacred thread. This is not the first report of such an incident. Last year, reports of similar incidents emerged in Shivamogga and Bidar, which led to state government guidelines that prohibited examination centres from disrupting students’ religious observances. The new issue that has emerged shows that authorities have not yet followed these rules which they established earlier. 

Brahmin Students Forced To Remove Sacred Thread ‘Janeu’ Before CET Exam: What Did The Education Minister Say?

The incident has been described as ‘very unfortunate’ by Karnataka Higher Education Minister MC Sudhakar who confirmed that an investigation is currently ongoing. The investigation currently exists because authorities suspended an invigilator while they question all people who took part in the exam. The police have received a case report about the situation. The incident has generated a political controversy because opposition leaders accuse the state government of disrespecting religious customs that should be observed at examination centres. The authorities plan to implement stricter guideline enforcement in upcoming situations while educational institutions will receive better information about guidelines.

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