Nun in headscarf ‘barred’ from medical entrance test

This comes a day after the Supreme Court refused to allow AIPMT aspirants to wear a hijab, saying that “your faith won’t disappear” if it is not worn on a particular day.

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“After entering the school compound, I moved to the queue where girls were standing for the mandatory frisking to detect devices… While standing in the queue, the principal of the school approached me and informed about the strict dress code introduced by the CBSE,’’ said Remya George alias Sister Seba.

“As directed by him, I called in another nun who had accompanied me to the exam centre. The principal said the nun could sit in the office room with my headscarf while I sat for the exam. As that was not acceptable to us, I sought a special room, which they denied. After consulting with my superiors, I decided to return without taking the exam,’’ she said.

However, Das, principal of Jawahar Central School, said the nun refused to cooperate. “I told her to remove the headscarf and the cross as part of the mandatory checking. I did not ask her to write the exam without her headscarf. The decision to not sit for the exam was taken by the nun after she called up some other sisters. I did not ask her to go,’’ said Das, who is also a Christian.

Sister Seba said the headscarf is very important for a nun. “We remove it only while going to bed. Even if we take part in a dance or any such events, it is not removed… It cannot be removed like a hat. It has a lot of meaning which others may not understand,” she said. “Our superiors will decide on whether I should seek legal recourse,’’ she added.

Earlier this week, the Kerala High Court allowed two Muslim girls to wear a headscarf and a full-sleeve dress for the exam, on the condition that an invigilator could frisk them if required.

The Supreme Court had scrapped the May 3 AIPMT and re-scheduled the test amid reports that the question paper was leaked and electronic equipment was used to cheat. The CBSE then issued a notification which stated that the candidates would not be allowed items like “belts, cap, scarf, etc” to the exam hall.