Karnataka SSLC Exam: 7 teachers suspended for allowing hijab-clad students to write exam

A total of seven school teachers have been suspended in Karnataka for allegedly allowing students wearing hijabs to appear for class X board (SSLC) examinations. According to information accessed, 5 teachers from CS Patil Higher Primary School and 2 from other schools in the state have now been suspended by the school authorities. The suspension comes after the Karnataka High Court banned all religious attire across educational institutions in the state earlier this month.

Allegedly, seven teachers who allowed girl students to appear for their SSLC examinations wearing hijabs have been suspended from duty. The teachers on Wednesday gave entry to the students inside the exam halls despite a government order mandating the wearing of uniforms after the high court banned religious attire across educational institutions earlier this month. As of now, no action has been taken against the students who wrote the exams wearing hijabs despite the state government warning of disciplinary action on anyone violating the court order.

The five teachers suspended from CS Patil Higher Primary School were identified as SU Hokkala, SM Pathar, KB Bajanthri, BS Honnagudi and SS Gujamagadi. SG Godage from Sharana Basaveshwara High school, Batagere and VN Kivudara, Bapuji Primary School, Gadag were the other teachers who faced action for letting hijab-clad students attend exams. Earlier on March 15, Karnataka High Court's three-judge bench dismissed all the petitions challenging the ban on hijab verdict inside Karnataka schools and had ruled that wearing hijabs was not an essential practice of Islam.

Students boycott class 10 board exams amid Hijab controversy

Meanwhile, 11 Muslim girl students of Nityananda Swami School in Anekal Taluk of Bengaluru Urban district in Karnataka on Wednesday boycotted their Class 10 exams as they were not allowed to attend exams wearing hijab. According to sources, exams started on March 28 and these students came wearing hijabs on the first day. Teachers and staff members reportedly convinced them to remove the hijab. Following this, students removed the headscarves and gave the exams.

However, on Tuesday, the students again protested against the Hijab ban in the hall and skipped exams on Wednesday as they were not allowed to wear hijab at exam centres. The students were from two examination centres. Five from one centre and six from another centre boycotted the exams.

Image: PTI