Hijab-wearing women will be allowed to appear for examinations for recruitment to departments such as the labour department, Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS), Mysore Sales International Limited (MSIL) and Sainik Welfare Board, clarified Karnataka’s Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar, however, adding that “this is not to be confused with the Supreme Court (SC) order on hijab in schools".
Sudhakar stated a lot of misinformation is being circulated about wearing hijab and that his statement has been misconstrued as hijab will be allowed in schools and colleges. He said his statement has no relation to that decision, but only pertained to women writing exams for recruitment to the corporations/boards in the state.
“NEET also allows students who are wearing hijab to answer examinations, and it is the same systems that are being implemented for these exams that are being conducted for recruitment to these boards through the state examination agency — Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA). The Supreme Court judgment is only with regard to the schools and it has nothing to do with this," Sudhakar said.
EXAMS ON OCT 28-29
Examinations for these departments are being held on October 28 and 29 to fill vacancies in five corporations in the state.
Explaining further, the minister also said that women who apply for jobs by answering these examinations are adults and “have the right to wear what they feel is right according to their religion or choice".
“We have to take certain precautions though. We have asked these candidates to come an hour earlier for a thorough frisking process. Today, many gadgets are available, which need thorough checking, so there is no chance of cheating by anybody appearing for these examinations," the minister added.
The minister also underlined that the decision would give everybody an opportunity, and open doors for more women to apply.
THE UDUPI CONTROVERSY
The hijab controversy erupted in January 2022 when a Government PU College in Udupi reportedly prevented six girls wearing the hijab from entering the premises.
In response to this incident, the girls staged a protest outside the college after being denied entry. Subsequently, pro-Hindu group students from various colleges in Udupi started attending classes donning saffron scarves as a form of protest. This demonstration soon spread to other regions within the state, sparking protests and demonstrations in multiple places across Karnataka.
They approached the SC where a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court gave a split verdict on the petitions challenging the Karnataka High Court verdict, which upheld Karnataka’s hijab ban.
Karnataka’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has also made it clear that his government is committed to ensuring that the education sector would not be negatively affected and will ensure the harmony and secular heritage of Karnataka.
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