Girl made to wrap curtain on legs to write exam in Assam

A 19-year-old girl appearing for an examination in Assam was made to wrap a curtain around her legs by an invigilator who chafed at her wearing shorts, provoking outrage and allegations of gender bias, and prompting university authorities to order an inquiry.

The incident occurred on Wednesday when the girl had gone from her hometown Biswanath Chariali to Tezpur to appear for the entrance examination of the Assam Agricultural University (AAU). She had unhindered access to the venue but an invigilator inside the examination hall objected to her wearing short pants.

Her father Babul Tamuli told PTI on Friday that after the invigilator at Girijananda Chowdhury Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (GIPS) told her that she will not be allowed to appear for the exam wearing shorts, she took up the matter with the authorities there and insisted no dress code was mentioned on the admit card. She also told them she had appeared in the NEET exams recently in shorts. However, as they were unrelenting, the girl rushed to her father waiting outside the venue. Tamuli made a dash for the nearest market to buy a pair of trousers. But before he could return with trousers the authorities had provided the girl with a curtain to wrap around her legs which she did and wrote her paper.

"My daughter was traumatised and spoke to a few local journalists about the humiliating incident and the issue became viral on social media. There are many who have condemned the incident but many have attacked my daughter for not following a dress code in an educational institution which has left her more mentally disturbed," Tamuli said.

He said despite suggestions by many people to press for action against the authorities the family has decided to put the matter to rest.

"We have decided not to proceed further and let the matter rest here in the interest of my daughter's mental well-being. We want her to concentrate on her academic future," he added.

The AAU has, however, constituted a three-member committee to inquire into the "unfortunate incident". Its registrar Tapan Kumar Gohain said the panel headed by the dean of the agriculture faculty will conduct the probe and submit its report in 10 days.

The issue left many seething with anger over the humiliating incident. Congress spokesperson Bobbeeta Sarma said not allowing a young girl to sit for an examination just because she was wearing shorts is "making a mountain out of a molehill and amounts to mental harassment of the student just before her exams. I feel sorry that society has become so regressive about what a girl wears. Such a mindset is dangerous for the safety and security of girls".

The backlash in social media against the girl, chiding her for not being "cultured enough to not know where to wear what" is more alarming, she told PTI.

Check out the latest DH videos: