BC Nagesh, Karnataka's Minister for Education, claimed on Friday, March 3, that since the hijab ban, there has been an increase in the number of Muslim students appearing for exams. "More Muslim sisters appeared for exams after the hijab ban, and there are now more Muslim girl students enrolled," he said. He also stated that girls wearing hijabs would not be permitted inside the exam centres.
TNM had earlier reported that according to Muslim Okkoota, a coalition of Muslim organisations in Udupi, at least 183 pre-university students were unable to appear for examinations in 2021. This represents 12.5% of the 1446 Muslim girl students in Udupi's pre-university colleges. The report had found that in Udupi, the implementation of a hijab ban has caused parents and students to consider leaving their universities. Some families also began considering relocating to a new town.
The Supreme Court on Friday had said that it will set up a three-member bench to hear the pleas but did not give a date. PUC final exams in Karnataka are scheduled to take place from March 9, the students are at risk of losing a year if the decision from the Supreme Court does not come before that.Students of a government-run pre-university college in Udupi had earlier filed a case against a rule which prohibited hijab-wearing Muslim girl students from entering their college classrooms. The Karnataka High Court upheld the government rule on uniforms while rejecting pleas by students. the students' pleas in this matter. The hijab is not an essential part of Isla, the court had ruled.
The dispute in the Udupi college began in December 2021 and made international headlines in January 2022 when Muslim students were photographed outside their classrooms missing classes for wearing the hijab.
With Inputs from IANS