Karnataka Examination Authority restricts all forms of head cover in recruitment exams on November 18 and 19 to avoid bluetooth malpractice

Karnataka Examination Authority announces dress code for recruitment exams banning any form of head cover. However, it has allowed mangalasutra and toe ring as exception for women. While hijab is not explicitly banned, it is implied by new guidelines..

The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) has announced a dress code for the recruitment exams of various boards and corporations to be held on November 18 and 19 across the State and stated that wearing “any garment or cap that covers head, mouth or ears” will not be allowed in the exam hall. The order says that 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. Earlier women wearing hijab had to be at the exam centres early for a thorough check, following which they were allowed into the halls.

“We are only taking all precautions strictly to avoid malpractice in the examination. Last time, some candidates used Bluetooth devices while writing the exam. Therefore, this time we have imposed the dress code and restricted any garments that cover the head, mouth or ears,” S. Ramya, Executive Director, KEA, told The Hindu.

The State government on Saturday ordered a probe by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) into an alleged scam in which candidates at Kalaburagi and Yadgir examination centres used Bluetooth devices for writing the exams conducted by the KEA in October, 2023.

Meanwhile, in another development, after opposition by various Hindutva groups and political leaders of BJP, the KEA has decided to allow women to enter the hall wearing mangalasutra and toe ring (markers of a married Hindu woman) which were earlier not allowed, along with other items of metal jewellery. The circular specifically mentions that these two items are exempted from dress code on jewellery.

In 2022, the Supreme Court had upheld the State government’s decision on hijab ban in the classrooms which came under the jurisdiction of the Department of School Education and Literacy in Karnataka. Further, State government had extended this order to other Board exams like Class X and Class XII and also Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by the KEA. But there is a separate dress code for entrance exams like NEET, JEE and others.

Also read: Split over hijab: On the Supreme Court verdict