Many Muslim girls appear for II PU examination in Dakshina Kannada

MANGALURU

A good number of Muslim girls followed the directions of the State Government and wrote the Business Studies paper on the first day of the II Pre-University examination in Dakshina Kannada on Friday.

Similar to norms laid down during the SSLC examination, the State Government said second-year PU students should write the examination in the uniform prescribed by their colleges. Students were allowed to wear headscarf (hijab) in the examination hall only if hijab is a part of their college uniform.

As many as 408 of the 422 students turned up at the examination centre in Tippu Sultan Composite Pre-University College in Ombattukere in Ullal. As a majority of the students were from the institutions where ‘Hijab’ is a part of the uniform, Muslim girls were allowed to write the paper with hijab. “The examination went off smoothly. Only 14 students remained absent,” said a representative of the college.

Similarly, 226 of the 244 students turned up at the St. Sebastian Pre-University College examination centre in Ullal where too Muslim girls were allowed to write with hijab. “Two of our Muslim girls wrote with Hijab. One bright Muslim girl did not appear,” said P. Kalavathi, Principal of Bharth Pre-University College, Ullal, which was closed for nearly a fortnight following hijab row. Bharath Pre University College is among the aided private colleges where hijab is a part of uniform.

Sixty four students, including 30 Muslim girls, from Thumbe Pre-University College, were among the 131 students who wrote the examination at the Carmel Pre University College in Mondankapu. “Our students were allowed to write examination with hijab as it is part of the uniform,” said Thumbe Pre-University College Principal Gangadhar Alva.

The 44 students from the Government Pre-University College in Montepadavu in Bantwal, which has a good number of Muslim students, were among 359 students who wrote the examination at the Kanachur Pre University College in Deralakatte. “Our students wrote the exam in the school uniform and hijab is not a part of the uniform,” said a representative of the Government Pre University College.

“The examination has started on a good note and there was no issues concerning hijab in our centres,’ Deputy Director of Pre University Education, Dakshina Kannada, Jayanna, told The Hindu.