Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Karnataka Today newsletter: KEA restricts all forms of headcovers in recruitment exams, and more

Announcing a dress code for the recruitment exams of various boards and corporations to be held on November 18 and 19 across the State, the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) has banned wearing “any garment or cap that covers head, mouth or ears” in the exam hall. The order says this is part of the effort to stop exam malpractices using bluetooth devices.

Though the dress code does not explicitly ban hijab, it is implied by the new guidelines. Meanwhile, after opposition by various Hindutva groups and political leaders of BJP, the KEA has decided to allow women to enter the exam hall wearing mangalasutra and toe ring (markers of a married Hindu woman) which were earlier not allowed.

Last week’s rains in and around Mysuru-Chamarajanagar belt have given a breather to the Forest Department in Karnataka as the increase in moisture content will delay the onset of fire season some time in February 2024. Bandipur received moderate to heavy rains for three days as a result of which the waterholes have filled up, and will provide reprieve for animals for a longer duration.

There were concerns that severe drought-like conditions in the forest would create a crisis for wildlife due to failure of southwest monsoon. Director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve Ramesh Kumar said the current ground situation had come as a welcome relief as clearing of weeds and vegetation through controlled burning could be put off by a few more days.

The research on Byadagi chilli conducted by PhD scholar Dr. Bhaganna Haralayya under the guidance of H.D. Mohan Kumar, Professor of Genetics and Plant Breeding, at Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences (KSNUAHS) in Shivamogga has secured a first patent for the university from the Patent Office of the Government of India.

Byadagi chilli, named after Byadagi town in Haveri district, has demand in the food, cosmetics, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and textile industries. The researchers succeeded in developing and standardising the method for in-vitro androgenesis for the production of double haplods in Byadagi chilli, in order to improve yield potential.

With over 1.2 crore vehicles, breakdowns adding to traffic woes are only expected in a city like Bengaluru. However, the top spot in this list of vehicles goes to Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses with 1,478 instances, data from Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) has revealed.