SC ruling for AIPMT exam throws up the hijab debate

The AIPMT re-test, which was held yesterday, had been under fire for its dubious dress code for examinees. The CBSE, which conducts the exam, disallowed students from wearing the hijab, besides full-sleeved clothing, and taking the re-test. The Kerala high court had however recently allowed two Muslim girls to take the test while wearing the head scarf.Subsequently, an appeal was filed in the Supreme Court by the Students Islamic Organisation of India to allow all Muslim girls to wear the hijab and take the test, which was rejected by the top court. The Supreme Court said in its judgment on Friday , "On a day when you have to sit for an exam, you are being asked not to wear it.Your faith won't disappear if you appear for the exam without a scarf."
Muslim girls in the city are not in favour of the judgment.But the AIPMT is just one instance of the hijab being disallowed at an exam.
Not the only exam where the hijab is not allowed:
Mehrukh Siraj, a second-year MBBS student at a private medical college in the city, appeared for the AIPMT wearing the hijab two years ago. "This is a first. I took all medical entrance exams, including the AIPMT, wearing the hijab. Then they didn't raise any objection. It is very insulting to be asked to remove the hijab. If a person has to cheat, they can do it anyhow. The hijab or the abaya (full-sleeved dress) has got nothing to do with it," says Mehrukh.
Not just the AIPMT, girls have faced objections for wearing the hijab while tak ing other exams as well. "I was not allowed to take the CAT exam when I entered the hall wearing the hijab. And that was when there weren't even such extensive guidelines regarding the dress code. The invigilators said that I'd have to remove my hijab if I was interested in taking the exam," says Zainab Kidwai, a teacher from the city.
Sadia Naseem, a second-year BA student at IT college, was recently asked to remove her hijab while entering the exam hall. "The invigilators told me that it can lead to cheating. I was asked to remove my headgear, after which I was thoroughly frisked. For someone who's been wearing the hijab since childhood, such an experience can be very demeaning. I felt quite insulted," says Sadia.
Schools divided:
Jagdish Gandhi, founder of a chain of coed schools in the city who disallow any religious items of clothing for their students, tells us, "We promote equality at our chool.We don't want that children identify each other on the basis of religion. We have a prescribed dress code that is to be accepted by all students. Just like we don't allow Sikh students to carry the kripan, which also has religious importance, we don't allow the hijab for Muslims. The point is that there should be no differentiation among students basis religion."
However, Aashrita Dass, vice principal of a prominent girls' school in the city, has a differing opinion. "We have to teach religious tolerance children right from the beginning. So if the hijab is what the Muslim girls have to wear then we accept it, just as we accept the turban," says Aashrita.
Help me!
Muslim helplines in the city have been inundated with queries regarding the hijab. Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali from Sunni Helpline says, "As per the Islmaic law, at a school no Muslim girl can be denied the right to wear hijab. Even Article 25 of the Indian Constitution gives freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion. A few worried Muslim parents called us to know what they should do since their children were appearing for the exams and wearing the hijab. I could only suggest that the girl should request the examiner to allow her to wear the hijab. If not, education too is quite important, and they should do the needful."
Even Maulana Saif Abbas from Shia helpline in the state agress that he gets calls all round the year from parents whose children are denied to wear hijabs in schools. " Any girl above nine years of age has the right to wear a hijab, if she wants, to schools, exams or at her work place. But unfortunately , many schools in Lucknow today don't allow this and parents are forced to compromise," says Abbas.