Nearly two weeks after the Karnataka High Court ruled that students could not don the hijab in educational institutions, girls appearing for the Karnataka Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination on Monday, 28 March, were seen removing their headscarf before writing the exam.
A substantial dip was witnessed in the number of students who appeared for the SSLC examination in Karnataka on the first day when compared to the previous year. The attendance percentage recorded this year was 97.59 percent, almost two percent less than 99.54 percent in 2021.
A total of 20,994 students missed the examination this year out of a total of 8.69 lakh enrolled. However, the exact reason behind the dip in numbers remains unclear.
The absences come amid a hijab ban in the state that has caused some female students to miss the examination.
A Muslim student in Bagalkote had to miss the Class 10 boards as she was not allowed to write the exam in a hijab. She was seen leaving the examination hall with a family member. In Bidar too some Muslim students missed the exam as they were disallowed to wear hijabs.
Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that anyone violating the uniform rules would face action. "Whoever violates the rule will face action. Everyone should obey the high court order. Students have to remove the hijab to write the exam," Jnanendra told reporters in Bengaluru.
Primary and Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh also stated, "Police will naturally take action against anyone violating the government rules. I am confident that no child will give opportunity for such things."
Meanwhile, in Hubli's Shantiniketan school, a Muslim student was asked to leave as she wore a burqa to the SSLC examination hall. The student changed into "civil dress" and attended the exam later, school authorities said. Girls were seen removing the burqa before entering the examination hall at St Joseph's Convent Girls High School in Bengaluru, as well.
In CS Patil School, Gadag, teachers offered roses to welcome students wearing hijabs. The students, however, had to write the examination without the headscarf to comply by the recent government order that banned the hijab in SSLC exam halls.
A circular issued by the Karnataka Department of Primary and Secondary Education on Friday, 25 March, had said that students of government schools would have to appear in uniforms prescribed by the government. Private school students (aided and unaided) would have to wear the uniform prescribed by their respective school managements, the circular had said.
Around 8.73 lakh students will be appearing for the SSLC exams, which are scheduled to continue from 28 March to 11 April.
Meanwhile, a sixteen-year-old girl, Anushree, appearing for the SSLC examination in Mysuru on Monday, passed away due to cardiac arrest after she collapsed in the exam hall. Education Minister Nagesh expressed his condolences.
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