Karnataka hijab row: Big setback for Muslim girls ahead of PUC exam, Supreme Court issues new decision

There is a big setback for Muslim girls in Karnataka who are at the pre-university level and decided to skip their PUC exams in the state due to the school administration banning hijab inside the premises. Now, it is expected that the Karnataka hijab row will go on for a few months.

The Muslim female students in Karnataka, who have already lost a year of academics due to skipping the exams last year, may not be able to complete their academic year this year as well due to the recent decision issued by the Supreme Court.

Addressing the Karnataka hijab row, the Supreme Court on Friday rejected the urgent listing of the petition to permit them to appear in the exams with the hijab starting on March 9, in a major setback for Muslim girls wearing a hijab in Karnataka.

A lawyer wearing a hijab had approached the court on Friday and urged for the urgent listing of the Karnataka hijab row matter, urging the court to allow hijab-wearing students to appear for the PUC exam in Karnataka, as opposed to the rules set by the government.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud said that since there won’t be another working day in the Supreme Court before March 6, after which the top court will take a Holi break, the matter will only be listed after March 13, when judicial business is resumed.

The advocate appearing on behalf of the hijab-wearing Muslim girls set to miss their exams once again pointed out that the Karnataka PUC exams are commencing from March 9, but the court has refused to listen to the matter before March 13.

The advocate said, “Those who want to wear hijab to school and colleges have already lost an academic year last year because they were not permitted to enter the college premises wearing hijab. What about this academic year? Should they lose this also?"

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