Karnataka Hijab Ban Reversed: Why Has Congress Govt Allowed Students To Wear Religious Symbols?

Last Updated:May 13, 2026, 20:43 IST

The Congress government now allows students to wear hijab and other religious symbols with uniforms in exams, reversing the 2022 BJP order and likely reviving the hijab debate.

The Congress-led government in Karnataka has allowed students appearing for examinations to wear traditional and religious symbols, including hijab, along with their prescribed school uniforms.

Karnataka Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa announced the revised guidelines on Wednesday, stating that no student can be denied entry to classrooms or examinations for wearing permitted religious symbols, provided they are in line with uniform requirements.

Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa said the decision was taken after discussions triggered by an April 24 incident involving the removal of a sacred thread during an examination. He said the government decided to frame clear rules keeping the welfare of children in mind.

Under the new rules, students will be allowed to wear symbols and attire such as janivara, peeta/headgear, turban, Rudraksha, Shivadhara, hijab and scarf while attending classes and examinations, along with the mandated uniform.

The decision comes years after some Muslim girls were stopped from attending classes because their headgear was not in line with the prescribed uniform in 2022. Then BJP government had issued an order, mandating students to stick to their uniforms. Issued under the Karnataka Education Act, 1983, it stated that students must wear only the approved uniform and barred any clothing that was seen as disrupting equality, integrity, or public order. This effectively meant that religious attire such as the hijab, saffron shawls, and other visible faith-based symbols were not permitted inside classrooms. Later, the Karnataka High Court also upheld the government’s order, saying hijab was not an essential religious practice in Islam.

Defending the move to allow students to wear traditional and religious symbols to exam centres, the Karnataka government has argued that the move is aimed at balancing discipline in educational institutions with respect for religious and cultural practices. The development is expected to reignite political debate around the hijab issue in the state, which had earlier led to legal and political battles during the BJP government’s tenure.

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