Karnataka CET 2025: Controversy over students being asked to remove Janivaras at exam centre

BENGALURU: Some students were allegedly asked to remove their Janivaras (sacred thread worn by Brahmins) before entering the CET examination hall at centres in Bidar and Shivamogga districts leading to a controversy. State's Higher Education Minister has assured action against those responsible.

Common Entrance Test (CET) is held to select students for the admission into professional courses.

According to officials, in Bidar, a student had to return home without writing the Maths paper on Thursday morning, after the screening committee at the examination centre in Sai Spoorthi college allegedly asked him to remove the janivara before entering the exam hall.

"The boy apparently pleaded the staff (comprising police personnel part of the frisking team) to allow him into the hall since there was no scope of him indulging in any malpractice by wearing janivara. However, he was not allowed by the staff alleging there was a possibility of him harming himself. He was asked to remove the scared thread and then enter the examination hall. But he refused to do so and left the centre without appearing for the Maths paper," a senior police official said. However, later he was allowed to appear for the Biology exam wearing the sacred thread in the (Thursday) afternoon, he said.

Restriction for maths paper

The same student had appeared for the Physics and Chemistry papers a day before wearing the sacred thread without any issue, officials added. Speaking to reporters today, the student who missed the exam in Bidar said, "I was asked to remove the janivara and come, by the college management and three people who looked like police. They told me that I will be allowed to write the paper only after that." Asked whether only he was told or others too were subjected to such a thing, he said, "Only I was told to do it, others were allowed normally after checks. I told them that we in the Brahmin community are not allowed to remove janivara and I was allowed for Physics and Chemistry papers, why such a restriction for Maths paper.

They said, proper checks were not done for other papers and they were doing it now. I requested for 45 minutes...." Shilpa Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Bidar told PTI that as soon as the matter came to their notice, a show cause notice was issued to the chief examiner of the said centre and that an inquiry has been initiated into the matter. Stating that the district administration is strictly against such practices, she said that Superintendent of Police (SP) Bidar too has assured that he would give show cause notice to the frisking team so that such incidents are not repeated.

3 students were asked to remove janivaras

According to the police in Shivamogga, three students were allegedly asked to remove their janivaras by the security staff at the Adichunchanagiri PU college exam centre on Wednesday. As per the allegations, one of the students refused to remove the sacred thread and he was allowed to write the exam, while the other two removed janivara before entering the exam hall. "We have not received any complaint from the parents yet. But as per inquiry, when we questioned the college authorities, they said that only the building is given for examination from their side and that they don't have any role in conducting or facilitating the entrance exams while the staff at the examination centre claimed that they did not ask any students to remove their shirts or the sacred thread. As per regulation, all they asked them was to remove the kashi dhara (scared thread worn around the wrist)," a senior police officer said.

"These are allegations which needs to be verified and for that a detailed inquiry is being conducted.," he added. Higher Education Minister M C Sudhakar said, if such an incident has happened as being alleged, it is condemnable, and such things cannot be accepted. "I will get a detailed report, based on which it will be decided what action to be taken in accordance with law, against those responsible," he said.

No instructions to remove janivara

Stating that he too was surprised to hear about such an incident, the Minister said that he has asked the Executive Director to submit a report. Sudhakar also said, "Deputy Commissioners of the districts are given the responsibility to hold the CET exams. There are a set of protocols under which the exams have to be held. There are no instructions to remove janivara or anything. If such an incident has happened at any exam centre, it will be taken seriously." There are reports that a student did not write the exam, not accepting to remove janivara, he said, "what alternative can be done to the student who could not write the exam will be examined."

Condemning the incident, Minister for School Education and in-charge of Shivamogga district Madhu Bangarappa said, he will direct the officials concerned to take action against those responsible. Taking to "X", BJP State President B Y Vijayendra condemned the incident. He asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to take action against the officials involved in this.