Tiruvannamalai: A Muslim woman who was forced to remove the hijab to write the Hindi Madhyama exams conducted by Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha at Annamalai Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Tiruvannamalai’s Somasipadi was later allowed to continue after Tamil Nadu Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi’s intervention.
However, Shabana, an Arabic teacher at a private school, left the school without writing the exam as she reportedly said she was exhausted after an argument with the invigilator and the school principal, who wanted her to remove her hijab for the exam.
The incident happened on Sunday, August 20.
Shabana claimed that just fifteen minutes into the exam, she was approached by school officials and instructed to remove her hijab, citing exam guidelines. When Shabana refused and asked for clarification, the school principal and correspondent allegedly warned her that failure to comply could lead to her being barred from the exam.
Expressing her resolve to wear the hijab, Shabana recounted that the officials confiscated her hall ticket and required her to visit their offices. Despite her explanation of having taken exams at the same centre earlier without such a mandate, the school management remained adamant, citing the rule as non-negotiable.
Upon hearing of the incident, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) leaders visited the school seeking clarification on the basis of the decision.
Tamil Nadu School Education Department Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi also intervened, instructing the school to allow Shabana to complete her exam. Nevertheless, the emotional toll of the situation reportedly led Shabana to decline the opportunity and leave the exam centre.
An unnamed source within the school explained that the dress code enforced during the exam was aligned with the instructions from Hindi Prachar Sabha, the examining body.
Shabana submitted a petition to the District Collector and filed a formal complaint at the local police station, alleging religious discrimination.