‘Hijab ban’, affected Muslim girls education in India

Hijab ban has affected Muslim girl’s education in India, as per report a Muslim girl by name Hiba Sheikh who is pursuing her education in Indian’s southern province of Karnataka could not appear in her practical session of her annual exams as the college’s administration refused to allow students to wear hijab.

In her interview she told “My internal exams were on March 3rd, the college authorities are saying to remove the hijab and then come to college. But I am not okay with it,”

She further said that taking cover of the Karnataka High court order pronounced on March 15”th that upheld the ban on wearing hijab in classrooms, college authorities have been preventing Muslim girls to enter the premises with headscarves.”

This action is destroying the education of Muslim girls across the state, which is known as India’s science capital, because of these numerous institutions related to information technology, electronics, and space.

According to India’s national news agency Press Trust of India has reported 40 Muslim girl students from the Udupi district of Karnataka have stayed away from appearing for the pre-university exams.

Hiba said that, “I am worried about my education. Exams are going on and I don’t know what to do. It is worrying every student because it is happening at the end of the academic year. Not sitting in exams means loss of one year.”

The court gave order that “wearing of hijab by Muslim women doesn’t form a part of essential religious practice in the Islamic faith.” The decision had come following petitions filed by Muslim women who were being disallowed to attend classes because of their hijab.

The issue arrived when hijabi Muslim students were barred from entering their classrooms at a government college in Udupi district in Karnataka in January. Likewise, the issue spread to other institutions in Karnataka.

Hiba is not alone, there are several hijab-wearing students wearing, that college authorities were not allowing them to sit in exams.

While speaking with Agency, Ramzaan Khan, father of Muskaan Khan who has now become a symbol of resistance to protect the right to wear hijab, told that her daughter did not appear in the annual exams.

“I met the college administration couple of times and requested to allow her to sit in the exam wearing a hijab. Our request was not entertained and there was no other option for my daughter but to skip the exam,”

In February, a video globally circulated on social media which showed Muskan a college girl in a headscarf being harassed by some mob of men with saffron shawls color identified as a Hindu symbol, but also associated with the ruling rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

He father said “Muskan is feeling bad about it because the college didn’t agree to our request about writing the exam in a hijab,” his daughter has lost a year of her education.

Asma Zehra, chief organizer of the Women’s Wing of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, apex umbrella body of Islamic scholars said that “It has impacted very badly. A large number of students have not appeared in the exam and the sad part is that till April, many more exams are scheduled and there is no sign of relief so far.”

Some local news broadcaster Indian Today said seven teachers in the state’s Gadag district was suspended for allowing girl students to wear the hijab when they appeared for the 10th-grade examination.

Zehra said about the college management that they should have waited for some time so that the education of girls is not impacted. Further she said “At least they could have given a grace period of one year so that the parents and students are in a better position to decide, which college to choose for education,” she added that education is “the only hope of survival in today’s time and if you barred them and force them not to wear hijab, it is nothing but majoritarianism”.

Hiba said now the only hope is left with Supreme Court, where students and Muslim groups have challenged the Karnataka High Court judgment.

The BJP which is governing the state, however, said the students should follow the court orders.

Yashpal Suvarna, a local leader of the BJP, told Agency “No one can question High Court order. The students should follow it … by not appearing in the exams, it means they are not interested in the education that is why, and they are doing it.”