Karnataka CET re-exam for 4 students hit by dress code row in Bengaluru
Synopsis
Four Karnataka CET students disrupted by staff who forced removal of janeu and hijab — including one whose sacred thread was allegedly cut — will get a re-examination. The controversy has exposed a systemic failure that the state government thought it had fixed after identical incidents last year.
Key Takeaways
Karnataka government announced a CET re-examination for 4 affected students on 30 April 2025 .
Students were asked to remove janeu (sacred thread) and hijab at centres in Bengaluru and Chikkaballapur .
A candidate's sacred thread was allegedly cut during the exam; a hijab-wearing student in Chikkaballapur was reportedly denied entry .
Sudhakar called the incidents a misuse of power by exam centre staff; action has been initiated against them.
Bengaluru's District Commissioner has recommended cancellation of the exam centre ; Chikkaballapur report awaits government action.
Similar incidents occurred in the previous year's CET , raising concerns about the adequacy of existing dress code enforcement reforms.
The Karnataka government on Thursday, 30 April announced a re-examination for candidates who faced disruption during the Common Entrance Test (CET) due to the misapplication of dress code guidelines at examination centres in Bengaluru and Chikkaballapur. The decision follows a controversy over students being asked to remove religious items including janeu (sacred thread), hijab, and nose rings during the state-level entrance exam.
What Was Announced
Minister for Higher Education M.C. Sudhakar confirmed the re-examination while speaking to the media on Thursday. "Four students have faced difficulty in this regard at the CET examination centres. In this background, it has been decided to hold a re-examination for those students only," he stated. The minister clarified that awarding grace marks would not be appropriate in such cases, making a re-test the more equitable option.
What Happened at the Exam Centres
Instances of students being asked to remove their janeu and hijab were reported at two examination centres in Bengaluru and Chikkaballapur, triggering widespread controversy. The government characterised these incidents as a misuse of power by staffers at the respective centres and initiated action against those responsible. In a particularly sharp incident, a candidate's sacred thread was allegedly cut during the exam, drawing further public outrage. Separately, a candidate wearing a hijab in Chikkaballapur was reportedly denied permission to appear for the examination altogether.
Government's Response and Administrative Action
Minister Sudhakar noted that the district administration had submitted reports on the incidents from both locations. In Bengaluru, the District Commissioner has recommended cancelling the examination centre's accreditation. In Chikkaballapur, the report has suggested that the government take appropriate action, and the minister confirmed that necessary steps would follow. "Once the matter came to our notice, it was taken seriously," he said.
A Recurring Problem
This is not the first time such confusion has surfaced during Karnataka's CET. Similar incidents were reported during the previous year's examination, following which the responsibility for enforcing the dress code was assigned to individual colleges rather than centralised examination staff. Despite this institutional adjustment, the incidents have recurred in 2025. Minister Sudhakar acknowledged the pattern, stating: "Similar confusion had occurred last year as well, and it has been decided that conducting a re-examination would be appropriate this time." The recurrence raises questions about whether the delegation of dress code enforcement to college-level authorities was an adequate systemic fix.
What Happens Next
The minister indicated that discussions are ongoing before a final decision on the re-examination schedule is made. Affected students who were denied the opportunity to sit the exam or were disrupted mid-examination are expected to be the primary beneficiaries of the re-test. The Karnataka Examinations Authority is likely to issue a formal notification once deliberations conclude.
Point of View
Not a systemic solution. The state had already delegated dress code enforcement to individual colleges after identical incidents last year, yet the problem resurfaced at multiple centres. That institutional fix clearly failed. The deeper issue is the absence of a standardised, unambiguous dress code protocol for CET that balances exam security with religious freedom — a gap that political sensitivity has prevented successive governments from resolving cleanly. Until that gap is addressed, each CET cycle risks becoming another flashpoint.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Karnataka holding a CET re-examination?
Karnataka is conducting a re-examination for four students who were disrupted during the Common Entrance Test due to exam centre staff asking them to remove religious items such as janeu and hijab. The government termed these actions a misuse of power and decided a re-test was more appropriate than grace marks.
What incidents triggered the Karnataka CET dress code controversy?
Students at centres in Bengaluru and Chikkaballapur were asked to remove their janeu (sacred thread) and hijab during the CET exam. In one case, a candidate's sacred thread was allegedly cut; in another, a hijab-wearing student was reportedly denied entry to the examination hall.
What action has the Karnataka government taken against the exam centres?
The Bengaluru District Commissioner has recommended cancellation of the concerned exam centre. In Chikkaballapur, the district administration has submitted a report recommending appropriate government action. Staff involved in the incidents have also had action initiated against them.
Has this happened before at Karnataka CET?
Yes. Similar dress code-related confusion was reported during the previous year's CET as well. Following that, the government assigned dress code enforcement responsibility to individual colleges, but the incidents have recurred in 2025, suggesting the reform was insufficient.
Who made the re-examination announcement and what did they say?
Minister for Higher Education M.C. Sudhakar announced the re-examination on 30 April 2025, stating: "Four students have faced difficulty in this regard at the CET examination centres. In this background, it has been decided to hold a re-examination for those students only." A final decision on the schedule is pending further discussions.
