24 Karnataka Students Temporarily Banned From Attending Classes For Wearing Hijab

Twenty-four students studying in a college in Karnataka¡¯s Dakshina Kannada district were on Tuesday banned for a period of seven days from attending classes for wearing hijab.

The decision was taken by authorities of the Uppinangadi Degree College in Puttur taluk after the students refused to attend classes without taking off their hijab.

Hijab not part of uniform in Karnataka

The Karnataka High Court on March 15 dismissed petitions filed by a group of Muslim students, seeking permission to wear hijab inside classrooms. The three-judge bench of the court consisting of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S Dixit, and Justice J M Khazi had further noted that the prescription of school uniforms is only a reasonable restriction and constitutionally permissible, which the students cannot object to.

AP

Following the recent Karnataka High Court order after the ¡®hijab¡¯ controversy, the Department of Pre-University Education has made uniforms prescribed by the College Development Committee compulsory for pre-university (PU) students from the 2022-23 academic year. It also states that in case no uniform is prescribed by the College Development Committee or management, students must wear a garment that will ¡°maintain equality and unity, and which does not disturb public order.¡±

This was stated in the admission guidelines for the 2022-23 academic year which cited the order pronounced by the High Court upholding the government order on uniforms. In the wake of the hijab row, the Karnataka government had in February issued an order mandating uniforms prescribed by it or the management of private institutions for its students in schools and pre-university colleges across the state.

Students apply for transfer certificates to institutions where hijab is allowed

Tuesday¡¯s incident comes as the government of Karnataka has issued guidelines for schools and colleges making uniforms compulsory for students without giving any room for wearing hijab in classrooms.

AFP

Though a majority of students are choosing to attend classes, a section has insisted on allowing them to attend classes while wearing hijab.

Many of the students belonging to the minority community have applied for transfer certificates from education institutions to join other colleges where hijab is allowed.

College managements have also communicated to students that those who wish to attend classes wearing hijab could take transfer certificates.

The hijab crisis, which started as a protest by six students of Udupi Pre-University Girl¡¯s College, has turned out to be a major situation in Karnataka over the past year.

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