Bengaluru: Karnataka School Education Minister BC Nagesh claimed that not a single student has stopped studying due to the hijab ban.The minister's claim comes amid reports citing RTI figures that Muslim female students are dropping out of colleges in large numbers.
The minister pointed out that the High Court upheld the stand taken by the Karnataka government on the issue of hijab. The Karnataka Education Act says that nothing religious should be allowed in educational institutions. How the six students who have been following this for so long suddenly came to the idea of wearing hijab? Who supported them? The government only implemented the law, said the minister.
Only in Udupi College did such a problem arise. There are eight colleges in the district. Minority girls are studying in all of them. However, except for six students, no one came forward against the law. Hijab is not a barrier. According to our data, no child has been suspended from college because of hijab, added the minister.
The uniform system in Karnataka which has been going on since 1985 was not brought by BJP. It was enacted through the Karnataka Education Act. Everyone has an obligation to obey the laws made through the democratic process in the legislature. How can only a few get away with it, Minister Nagesh asked.
RTI figures and data contradict Minister's claims
At the same time, the figures coming from official records contradict the minister's claims that the female students have not stopped their studies. After the ban on hijab, there are reports of a large number of Muslim female students dropping out of colleges in Karnataka. The Deccan Herald, citing RTI figures, reports that 16 percent of Muslim female students have obtained TCs from colleges under Mangalore University alone.
Some of these data were used by senior lawyer Kapil Sibal in the appeal in Supreme Court against the Karnataka High Court verdict.
Last May, Mangalore University Vice-Chancellor Prof. P.S. Yadpathithaya had informed that those who want to opt out of institutions due to hijab ban would be issued Transfer Certificates (TC). Following this, 16 percent of the Muslim female students pursuing undergraduate studies in various semesters left the college, as per response received to the RTI query.
In Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, 145 out of 900 female Muslim students who got admission in colleges under Mangalore University in 2020-21 and 2021-22 have secured TC. Many of them joined other colleges that allowed hijab, while others had to drop out because they could not afford the high fees in private self-financing institutions.
113 Muslim female students in colleges in Kodagu district are continuing their studies. There are 10 colleges in government and aided sectors in the district.
There are 39 Govt colleges between Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, plus 36 aided colleges. Most Muslim female students obtained TCs from colleges (34 percent). According to the report, out of the 51 Muslim female students, 35 left the Dr. P. Dayananda Pai-P Satheesa Pai First Grade College, considered to be one of the best government colleges in Dakshina Kannada district.
A large number of Muslim girls have dropped out of Haliangadi Govt. College and Ajjarkad Govt.College The principal of the former said that many female students have abandoned their college studies without even getting TC.
Many students who get admission in private colleges that allow hijab have technical hurdles to continue their studies Gasia, a fifth semester student, joined a private college after taking TC, but she can study the sixth semester only in 2023.
Vice Chancellor PS Yadapadithaya, VC of Mangalore University said that students had come to him with a request to help them get admission in the private colleges where their subjects of study are offered. He said that since such problems are difficult to solve, he suggested approaching the Open University. He also said that he advised them that education is more important than faith.
Although, the RTI reply said that not a single student has left the Uppinangadi Govt College, the college principal later admitted that two students had taken T.C. Those related to the issues point out that based on this, the number of students dropping out of colleges may be assumed as more than stated in such data.