Allow Sikh students to carry articles of faith to exam centres: Rajasthan govt

Jaipur: The Rajasthan government has reiterated that Sikh students must be allowed to appear for competitive examinations while wearing articles of faith such as kirpan, kada and pagdi.

A fresh directive in this regard was issued on July 29, in the wake of widespread outrage over a female Sikh student being denied entry to a civil judge recruitment examination while wearing a kirpan, or ceremonial dagger.

The recent directive referred to a 2019 circular issued by the previous Congress-led administration, which had asked all concerned to permit Sikh candidates to wear religious symbols during examinations conducted by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission and Staff Selection Board.

On Sunday, Gurpreet Kaur, a candidate from Punjab's Tarn Taran district, posted a video on social media alleging that she was barred from appearing for the Rajasthan High Court Civil Judge examination in Jaipur on July 27 for carrying a kirpan, a mandatory article of faith for amritdhari (baptised) Sikhs.

The incident sparked criticism from the Sikh community and religious bodies. Officiating Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj, condemned the incident.

"Denying entry to amritdhari candidates in Rajasthan High Court Judge Exam is a major constitutional violation and anti-Sikh discrimination. Shiromani Akali Dal and SGPC should form a joint delegation and raise the matter with Government of India and Government of Rajasthan for permanent resolution," Gargaj said in an X post.

"National Commission for Minorities chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura must take up the issue with the Prime Minister and Home Minister and send a detailed report to Sri Akal Takht Sahib," he added.

The Rajasthan State Minority Commission has also written to officials, citing repeated complaints from Sikh candidates and stressing that failure to enforce the existing policy has caused resentment within the community.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Bhaskar A Sawant, in his directive, acknowledged the lapses in enforcing the 2019 instructions and emphasised the need for compliance.

He noted that candidates may be instructed to arrive an hour early for security checks, but added that religious symbols should not be a ground for denial unless a suspicious device is detected during screening.

The directive also referred to a Delhi High Court ruling, which permitted the carrying of religious items to exam centres, provided the security protocols are met.

Welcoming the reaffirmation of policy, BJP MLA from Sadulshahar, Gurveer Singh, said in an X post that the chief minister has responded to the issue with "clarity and sensitivity." He urged the Sikh students to uphold the dignity of their faith while following examination guidelines.