The Hijab controversy flared up in January 2022 when six girls wearing the hijab were purportedly prevented from entering the Government PU College in Udupi.
Bengaluru: Amid the ongoing Hijab row in Karnataka, Higher Education Minister of State MC Sudhakar on Monday said that the people should verify the guidelines of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Examination (NEET) adding that it is allowed to write the examination wearing the Hijab. “I think that the people who are protesting should verify the guidelines of the NEET exam. I don’t know why are they making an issue out of this…People are allowed to wear Hijabs…” Sudhakar was quoted as saying to news agency ANI.
Earlier on Sunday(October 22), in a progress review meeting held under the leadership of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Education Minister Sudhakar, it was decided that the students will be allowed to wear a Hijab while writing the examination. Pro-Hindu groups have threatened to protest against the order announced by Karnataka Higher Education Minister MC Sudhakar.
Allowed to Write NEET Examination: Higher Education Minister of State MC Sudhakar
Clearing air over wearing a Hijab while writing exams, Sudhakar said that “people are trying to create controversy in the matter of writing exams while wearing Hijab, the minister claimed that some people are there just to create confusion.” “I have taken measures in view of everyone’s freedom”, he said. “It is allowed to write the NEET exam wearing hijab,” Sudhakar added.
He further clarified that the examinees can write examinations by wearing the clothes they want. The Karnataka government also stated that candidates will be allowed to wear a Hijab while appearing for recruitment-related examinations conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority(KEA). Exams will be conducted on October 28 and 29 to fill vacancies in five corporations,
The Hijab controversy flared up in January 2022 when six girls wearing the hijab were purportedly prevented from entering the Government PU College in Udupi. Subsequently, these girls staged a protest outside the college, objecting to their exclusion. In response, male students from various colleges in Udupi began attending classes while wearing saffron scarves. This demonstration extended to different regions of the state, sparking protests and rallies in several places throughout Karnataka. The issue had taken a communal turn and resulted in revenge killings in the state.
(With ANI Inputs)