Karnataka hijab row: Udupi college girl denied entry to give practical exams, says its 'very cruel'

With practical exams at many PU colleges across Karnataka held today, some students who also have petitioned in High Court against the college management seeking permission to allow them to sit in class with hijab were allegedly denied entry and approached DDPI asking him to postpone exams.

Almas, one of the students and also a petitioner in the case, alleged that when she and two other students from the science stream arrived at the exam hall, the teachers denied their entry for sporting the hijab.

The student also alleged that some of the teachers also attempted to bribe them with 'marks' of their 'records' if they agreed to remove the hijab. However, the students refused to budge. The students were asked to speak to the principal for permission. When they approached the principal, he threatened them with a police complaint for standing at his office.

Interestingly, the issue resurfaced from the same place where it all started on January 1 when about a dozen students were denied entry into college campus for sporting hijab. Later some students filed a writ petition at the High Court. The High Court full bench comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S Dixit and JM Khazi last week had concluded the hearing and reserved its verdict in the matter.

Earlier, the court had passed an interim order stating that there shall be no religious symbols displayed in colleges and schools. Following the interim order, many colleges and schools denied entry of students in hijab leading to many students boycotting.