No re-exams for those who skipped them over hijab row, says Karnataka govt

The Karnataka government on Monday ruled out conducting re-exams for those who had skipped them for not being allowed to wear hijab in classrooms. State Primary and Secondary Education Minister B.C. Nagesh said exams are competitive in nature and there cannot be humanitarian consideration for absentees.

"There cannot be new precedent, from the time the board exams are being held, there is no such system to hold re-exam for absentees," Nagesh said.

Several Muslim girls at a college in Udupi had boycotted classes and skipped practical exams after they were denied permission to wear hijab. On March 15, the Karnataka High Court dismissed a batch of petitions filed by students and maintained that wearing hijab is not an essential religious practice in Islam.

The high court order has been challenged in the Supreme Court while a section of Muslim girls continues to boycott classes and has indicated about skipping second PUC (class 12) board exams in April. Arguing that hijab is as important as education, the students said they would not return to colleges until they get permission to wear the headscarf.

The minister, however, cautioned students against skipping exams and said the final order of the high court had come much before the exams.

"Whatever the Court has said, we will abide by it. Being absent from exams will only be the prime factor and not the reason, whether it may be because of hijab row or ill-health or inability to attend or for not having studied. In the final exam, absent means absent. Repeat exams cannot be held," Nagesh said.

The minister said those who have failed in the exam will have an opportunity to take up the supplementary exams. "If we consider humanitarian grounds, tomorrow people will come with varied reasons for not attending exams and seek re-exam. It cannot happen,” he argued.

The high court, while ruling out the students’ petitions, maintained that there was no material placed on record to prima facie show that wearing the headscarf was an essential religious practice. Underlining that no reasonable mind can imagine a school without uniform, the court also observed that the concept of school uniform is not of a nascent origin.

With PTI inputs