Boycott of practical exams after the court’s interim order is intolerable. Hundreds of such hijab protesters will not be allowed re-exam.
The Government decision
The Karnataka government made it clear that it will not tolerate students’ over-activism.
Students should have left the case to the High Court to decide. They should have focused on exams instead they boycotted the practicals. They didn’t follow the court’s interim order on dress code. So the government has declared that they won’t be taking re-exams. However, earlier the government was mulling to go soft on these students and allow re exams.
B C Nagesh, the primary and secondary education minister of Karnataka said, “How can we even consider the possibility ? If we allow the students who boycotted the practicals for not being allowed to wear hijab to the exam even after the high court gave its interim order, then another student will come citing some other reason and seek a second chance. It is impossible” .
In Karnataka the Pre-University (PU) II exams are divided between practical and theory carrying a weightage of 30 and 70 marks respectively. Those who boycotted practicals would not be getting these 30 marks, after the government’s decision. It will be upon the students to get good marks out of 70 theoretical marks to avoid losing an academic year.
Chronology Samajhiye (Understand the Chronology)
In Jan and Feb,this year the controversy around students’ uniforms and headscarves started. The government passed a notification for “student uniforms” in educational institutions. The order was challenged in the Karnataka High Court and simultaneously protests continued. To cool down and function properly till the court reaches to any conclusion, the court gave an interim order to follow institutions dress code. Some of the Pre University II (PU II) ( class 12 called PU II in Karnataka) students didn’t even follow the court’s interim order and boycotted important career deciding exams to make a political statement.
After detailed submissions by all sides the 3 Judge bench led by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi gave a verdict that Hijab is not an Essential Religious Practice and educational institutions should follow uniform for equality and spirit of brotherhood.
Read More: Hijab is not an essential practice of Islam: Karnataka High Court
After effects of High Court Verdict
The verdict is challenged in the Supreme Court. Protests have continued in some parts of Karnataka and even in Tamil Nadu. Some hardliners have even threatened the judges of the case and have been arrested by the government in time. Government has provided ‘Y’ level security to the judges.
Read More: Islamists go batshit crazy as they threaten judges who ruled against Hijab in Educational Institutions
Government is acting tough and showing no respite from punishing such nuisance makers and the decision to stop over-activism of students is a decision taken in the right direction and will stop such incidents from repeating.
