The South Central India Union of Seventh Day Adventist Group (SDAG) has field a petition before the High Court for rescheduling the II PUC Economics and History supplementary exams for students of SDAG. The exams are scheduled for July 2 and 9 respectively.
The petitioners have said that the SDAG Christians observe Saturday as the day for 'Sabbath' throughout the year and are not expected to engage in any type of work on that day.
The practice is a command issued by religious law and it should be strictly observed and practised, they stated.
A representation was also given to the director of the Department of Pre-University Education not to conduct any exams on Saturdays as students from SDAG cannot attend it, but the representation went unheeded, they stated.
The petitioners contended that with the scheduling of the exams on two Saturdays, SDAG students will have no other option. This will be tantamount to violation of the freedom to profess, practise and propagate the religion as enshrined in Article 25(1) of the Constitution of India. The petitioner contended that the department, which is a state machinery, has to protect and preserve religious observations.
The timetable of the exams directly comes in the way of the community’s religious practice, the petitioner stated. Hearing the petition, Justice Aravind Kumar directed the state government to file objections and adjourned the next hearing to June 13.
DH News Service