Expressing outrage over forcing female students to remove top innerwear and denying hijab-clad students permission to examination centres, Student Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) held a protest at the headquarters of CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) in New Delhi on 11 May. Calling it ‘harassment’ and ‘disgrace’ to students, SIO demanded apology from chairman of CBSE Rajesh Kumar Chaturvedi. While protesting, SIO activists were also manhandled by security guards and staff members at the CBSE entrance.
A delegation of SIO National Secretaries, Jaseem PP and Syed Azharudheen met Joint Secretary of CBSE Sanyam Bhardwaj and handed over a memorandum and complaints of students to him. The delegation members also expressed their concern over this issue with Bhardwaj, who assured them to look into the matter.
“CBSE can’t wash its hands off by simply taking action against teachers of Kannur incident, in which a female student was forced to remove top innerwear. Many students are out there who were denied permission to examination centres only because they put on headscarves. This is clear violation of the Kerala High Court verdict last year,” reads the memorandum.
In a verdict, Kerala High Court observed: “The board shall permit all candidates, who based on the religious practice want to wear headscarf and full sleeved length dress, to appear for exam.” The court also said that the CBSE dress code shall not be enforced against the candidates who, by the virtue of Article 25, are protected from wearing such dress as prescribed in the injunction of their faith.
Citing Kerala High court verdict, the students organisation demanded to stop harassing hijab-clad and other students for wearing any dress in the name of transparency. “SIO of India demanded CBSE to look into such complaints and redress them forever. For that CBSE should revise and correct its dress code instructions for the years to come. SIO further said that it seems CBSE did not take the court order seriously despite the court’s suggestion to take necessary steps to protect religious rights of students for upcoming years.”
There are several complaints and media reports about forcing the students to remove their inner wear and Hijab for appearing in NEET exams. SIO leaders also alleged that they sought appointment with chairman and other officers several times to talk about the issue but there was no response from them. They expressed their anger and outrage over this objectionable behaviour of CBSE officers.