Hijab-clad Jamia student barred from exam, UGC gets notice

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) has issued a notice to secretary, University Grants Commission, saying that the debarring of Jamia Millia Islamia student from appearing for the NET exam for wearing a hijab was “a clear case of discrimination against a religious minority and an attempt to keep it away from the national mainstream.”

Demanding answers to why it was done, the DMC has asked the UGC whether it was going to rectify its mistake. Pointing to the Kerala high court decision, the DMC said that they had issued a general order earlier saying that no such discrimination should be made against people who wear religious clothes.

Speaking to TOI, DMC chairperson Zafarul Islam Khan said that the commission had last month issued orders to respect the religious rights of Muslim and Sikh women. “Despite that we saw this happening,” he added.

Umaiyah Khan, a student of Jamia was not allowed to participate in UGC-Net exam for wearing a hijab (scarf). The DMC in its statement said that “the Kerala HC has clearly allowed Muslim women to appear in exams and tests wearing a hijab”.

The DMC also has asked the secretary, UGC, to reply why this discrimination was allowed, and “how would you propose to undo the injustice done to the Muslim women prevented from appearing in the NETJRF exam wearing hijab.”

According to a senior HRD official, the candidate was not told to take the exam without the “hijab” but was asked to remove it and show her face during the frisking.