Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane calls for ban on burqa during board exams
In a letter to the School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, Rane said that allowing girl students to wear burqas inside examination halls could facilitate cheating and pose security challenges.
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Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane. (File photo)Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane Wednesday called for a ban on wearing burqa during the upcoming board examinations for classes 10 and 12, citing concerns over possible malpractices.
In a letter to the School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, Rane said that allowing girl students to wear burqas inside examination halls could facilitate cheating and pose security challenges.
“Students appearing for the 10th and 12th board exams should not be permitted to wear burqa. If necessary, female police officers or female staff should be appointed to conduct checks. These exams are crucial for students’ future and must be conducted transparently, without any scope for malpractices,” he stated.
Rane, who holds Fisheries and Ports Development portfolios, further claimed that allowing burqas in exam halls could make it difficult to detect electronic devices were being used to cheat.
The minister’s remarks drew criticism from opposition leaders.
Former MP Hussain Dalwai countered, “The fact that girls are pursuing education should be welcomed, regardless of whether they wear a burqa. Forcing them to remove it is unacceptable. It is against the law to hinder their right to appear for exams. Traditions should not be violated—students will naturally decide for themselves what is necessary and what is not.”
The Maharashtra Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination for Class 10 is scheduled to begin on February 21, while the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination for Class 12 will start on February 11.
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