Karnataka sacred thread row: Bidar principal, clerk dismissed for rejecting candidate from KCET test

Sai Spoorthi PU College management terminated principal Chandrashekara Biradara and second division clerk Satish Pawar for reportedly refusing to allow Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) candidate Suchivrata Kulkarni to sit the test on Thursday for wearing a sacred thread. The duo's termination was ordered by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) and the Karnataka state higher education department after an interim report filed by Bidar Deputy Commissioner Shilpa Sharma.

The principal and the second division clerk were held to be negligent for failure to follow KEA rules under which non-metallic sacred threads could be worn during the KCET examination. The report further stated that the staff of PU college had made insulting comments.

But Kulkarni appeared for the physics and chemistry exams on April 16 at the same centre wearing the sacred thread, revealing the inconsistency in 'rule enforcement'. The report of the deputy commissioner suggested disciplinary action against the pair and remedial action for the student.

But the government is yet to decide on providing a second chance to the student. An education department official stated, "The student would be assigned a ranking in engineering courses in spite of the absence from mathematics exam, subject to discussions with Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar. Again, the matter will be referred to the chief minister by the minister before he decides on re-examination so that there would be fairness for everyone and justice to the student."

At the same time, home guards Raghu D and Kalavati were suspended in Shivamogga over the sacred thread controversy. In its interim report filed before KEA by Deputy Commissioner Gurudatta Hegade, it was seen that the home guards asked a student who had come to take the morning session of the exam on April 16 to remove the sacred thread. The student herself removed the thread and went to take the test. But the report debunked allegations that the home guard compelled the removal of the sacred thread and refused entry to the student.

The report also added that two other students subsequently approached the exam hall with the sacred thread. At that point, the principal of Sri Adichunchanagiri Composite English Medium High School called the deputy director of pre-university for clarification and, after receiving it, allowed the students to take the examination without removing the thread.

The afternoon session (Chemistry) of April 16, as well as the exam conducted on April 17, went on at the same examination centre without interruption.

The report of the DC states, "Preliminary findings indicate that while the CET guidelines did not specify any instruction for the removal of religious symbols or clothing, the Home Guards who were on duty at the center had requested students to remove their Janiwara at the beginning of the examination. This was because of a lack of awareness on their part.". Consequently, a letter was written to the Commandant of Home Guards, requesting disciplinary action against the careless staff. Moreover, a departmental inquiry has been launched against them.

In the meantime, the Shivamogga police have also registered a case against CET officials whose names were not mentioned in this case on the basis of the complaint submitted by Nataraj Bhagavath, who is a CET aspirant. He had complained that the examination center officials had cut the sacred threads that the students wore. The authorities allegedly threatened to exclude students from entering the examination hall if they wore the sacred thread. The complainant has accused examination centre authorities of cutting the sacred threads worn by students and throwing them into the dustbin. The authorities allegedly threatened to exclude students from entering the examination hall if they wore the sacred thread. The Shivamogga police are investigating the incident.

Opposition BJP has called the row over sacred thread disrespect to religious feelings. Supporters of the Akhila Karnataka Brahmin Mahasabha and other pro-Hindu outfits organized a protest rally at Bidar on Saturday.