Student not allowed to write Karnataka CET exam in hijab; lodges plaint with KEA

Chikkaballapur: A second-year PU student in Chikkaballapur who was not allowed inside the KCET examination hall for her Physics exam on account of the fact that she was wearing a hijab has lodged a complaint with the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA).

The student in question, Azeez Zainab, was allegedly not allowed to write the exam with her hijab on April 23 at the BGS Science College in Chikkaballapur. Incidentally, she was allowed to appear for the Chemistry exam in the afternoon that day, and for the Mathematics and Biology exams that were held the next day. After she intimated KEA officials about the incident through an Email, they immediately contacted the staff at the college, and verified the facts.

Interestingly enough, on the same day, at Nagarjuna Engineering College in Chikkaballapur, staff deployed on examination duty cut the scared thread of a candidate – Supreeth – who was appearing for the KCET examination at the institution.

Chikkaballapur Deputy Commissioner G Prabhu inquired into both the incidents, and submitted a report compiling his findings to the government.

Minister for School Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa said that he had received the report submitted by the Chikkaballapur DC. “KCET exam was held at 745 centres across the state. Barring isolated incidents reported in Bengaluru and Chikkaballapur, the exam went off smoothly. Although we usually deploy Home Guards at KCET examination centres, we were unable to deploy them at all centres this year since 6,000 Home Guards were deputed to Tamil Nadu for the elections. We entrusted the task of conducting the exams smoothly to the staff of the colleges,” said the minister.