NEET 2025 Sikh candidates Allegedly Forced to Remove Headscarves, Sparks Call for Exam Policy Reforms
Punjab- Protest erupted in Amritsar recently after Sikh students were allegedly forced to remove their religious headscarves before entering the examination hall during the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) held on May 4. The move prompted protest and Sikh organisation Chief Khalsa Dewan made a statement objecting to the alleged incidents.
Chief Khalsa Dewan President Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar, other members also raised objections and said that wearing a headscarves on the head is an integral part of Sikhism and the compulsion to remove it in any way is a direct attack on the religious and constitutional freedom of Sikhs.
Hence, students should not be deprived of their Sikh identity and religious symbols during NEET or other major examinations. This humiliating behaviour of the examination officials is hurting the morale of Sikh students every day.
According to Tribune Media news report, the Chief Khalsa Dewan has appealed to the Central Government and National Testing Agency (NTA) to make immediate changes in the examination policies to ensure full protection of the religious freedom of Sikh students.
Medical Dialogues has earlier reported a case where 2 persons have been arrested in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, for asking a candidate to remove the "janivara" (sacred thread worn by Brahmins) before entering the examination hall. The incident took place at St Mary's School exam centre.
Based on the complaint, an FIR was lodged against two employees posted at the centre, who allegedly asked the student to remove the thread. Candidates were asked to either remove the sacred thread or cut it before entering the examination hall. The two people mentioned in the FIR are employees of an agency and were appointed by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for search duty.
