Students refuse to take exams without wearing hijabs in Shivmogga and Udupi
Shivamogga / Udupi: Amid the ongoing Karnataka hijab controversy, some students were asked to sit in a separate room as they refused to appear for exams without wearing their headscarves in Shivmogga and Udupi cities of the state.
Few students of Karnataka Public School in Nellihudikeri in Kodagu district staged a protest against the hijab ban.
Parents who were standing outside the schools informed that the school administration also asked students to appear for exams without hijab.
Speaking to the media persons, Haseena, parent of a student said, "I'm not sending her to school after a ban on hijab in school. I have sent them to school for the past two days as they had preparatory exams for class 10. But some students were asked to sit in a separate room yesterday because they denied removing hijab."
"Nothing like this happened earlier. Till now, many from our family have studied in this school wearing hijab. Why is there a sudden change in rules?" she said.
A man whose niece is a student said, "I'll bring my niece to school only after the court verdict. Education is important but hijab is most important to us".
Abdul, another parent also stated that students who came wearing hijab, are being asked to sit in a separate room in the school.
"Teachers have asked students not to wear hijab in school. They also had a meeting on the subject with parents yesterday. Today, they have been asked to sit in a separate room. I don't understand why this has been created as such a big issue. Students have the right to study and appear for exams," Abdul added.
"A meeting between parents and teachers is underway. The students (of Govt Urdu School, Pakirnagar) have not been made to sit in a separate room," said Tehsildar, Kapu Taluk, Udupi district.
Meanwhile, Some students skipped exams as they were forced to enter the school premises without their traditional headscarves.
"I will not remove the hijab. I used to attend school earlier with the hijab only. The School administration asked us to either remove the hijab or leave the place. They did not allow us to appear for exams wearing hijab," Hina, a student told ANI.
Sabrin, another student said, "I am leaving the school and skipping my exam because I was asked to remove my hijab."
