The Karnataka government has announced a re-examination for candidates who encountered difficulties due to dress code guidelines during the Common Entrance Test (CET). Instances of students being asked to remove sacred threads, hijabs, and nose rings led to a significant controversy. The government clarified that the removal of sacred threads and hijabs was a misuse of power by examination center staff, leading to disciplinary actions against them.
Minister for Higher Education M.C. Sudhakar disclosed that four students faced challenges at the CET examination centers, prompting the decision for a re-examination for those affected. Confusion arose at two examination centers in Bengaluru and Chikkaballapur regarding issues related to sacred threads and hijabs during the CET exam. Following requests from affected candidates, a re-examination was deemed necessary.
In response to the situation, the minister emphasized that a re-examination would only be conducted for affected candidates, ruling out the option of awarding grace marks. He highlighted that similar confusion had occurred in the past, leading to the decision to opt for a re-test this time. The controversy escalated when a candidate’s sacred thread was allegedly cut during the exam, further fueling the debate over dress code enforcement.
Minister Sudhakar acknowledged a case in Chikkaballapur where a candidate wearing a hijab was reportedly denied entry to the exam hall. The district administration submitted a report on the matter, indicating a recurrence of similar incidents from the previous year. Despite assigning the responsibility of enforcing dress codes to individual colleges, incidents persisted this year, prompting serious actions by the authorities.
