Karnataka SSLC exams Day 1: Invigilator Suspended for Refusing to Remove Hijab

First day of the SSLC (Class 10) exams was conducted peacefully across Karnataka amid hijab row. Most of the students gave their exams in uniform and only a few abstained and some were sent back for wearing hijab.

Bengaluru: The first day of the SSLC (Class 10 board) exams was conducted peacefully across Karnataka, which is taking place close on the heels of a massive controversy over wearing hijab in educational institutes. Most of the students gave their exams in uniform, however, few incidents were reported where students were abstained from writing the paper and sent back for wearing hijab.

An invigilator was suspended by the Department of Education for refusing to take off her hijab while conducting the examination at KSTV High School. “Noor Fathima, who was on exam duty, came clad in a hijab. When she was asked to remove it, she refused and was later sent back from the examination centre and suspended,” sources in the education department told news agency IANS.

Students Asked To Remove Hijab

One of the students who came for exams wearing hijab in Ilakal Government School in Bagalkot district decided not to appear for the same when she was asked to remove it.

Another board examinee in Hubli district was sent back home for not wearing the uniform and refusing to take off burkha and hijab. The class X student was allowed to appear for her papers only after having changed into her school uniform, Hindustan Times reported.

Belagavi MLA Anil Benake welcomed some hijab and burqa clad students by offering them flowers. Later, these students removed hijab and burqa and attended the exams.

Other mojor incidents on day one of SSLC exam

In another incident, 6 fake candidates including a girl student appearing for exams on behalf of other students were detained by the police in Chikodi city of Belagavi district. The authorities caught them while inspecting their hall tickets.

Anushree, a class 10 student who was giving her exam collapsed and died of a heart attack at the T. Narasipur centre in Mysuru district.

Section 144 imposed in and around 3,444 examination

As many as 8,73,846 students have enrolled for SSLC exams this academic year among which 4,52,732 are boys and 4,21,110 are girl students. Four students belonging to the third gender and 5,307 specially abled children are also taking exams.

Section 144 was clamped in and around 3,444 examination centres across the state and tight police security was deployed at all examination centres to avoid any showdown or untoward incidents. As many as 60,000 government officers monitored the examinations.