National News

Kashmiri students barred from taking MBBS test in headscarf

ISLAMABAD, (APP): While appearing in All India Pre-Medical Test
(AIPMT) Kashmiri female students were not allowed to appear in test wearing
headscarf.
The students told media men that they were forced to appear in exams
without headscarf, thus hurting their religious sentiments.
“I was asked to remove my headscarf and even hair clips were not
allowed. We were asked only to use rubber bands,” said a student wishing to be anonymous, who appeared in exam in Delhi, Kashmir Media Service
reported.
“When we protested against the move, we were told it was to maintain
discipline,” the students said, “we were told it was to refrain students from using any gadget inside the scarf.
Though we asked them to return us our scarf only after proper check but
they didn’t listen to us.”Students said that they were utterly disturbed by
this and were feeling uncomfortable.
“I was feeling so uncomfortable in the exam center that I could not
concentrate on my exams,” said another student. All India Pre-Medical Test
(AIPMT) is an annual medical entrance examination held across India for MBBS
and other medical professional courses.
Meanwhile, the local authorities would file a petition in Indian
Supreme Court seeking exemption from Eligibility Entrance Test held under Indian government and challenge the court’s judgment on grounds of Kashmir’s special status under Article 370.
The Supreme Court in its verdict had made Eligibility and Entrance Test
compulsory for all Medical College admissions including Jammu and
Kashmir.
The local Department of Law said the file was almost
ready.
Commissioner/ Secretary for Law, Muhammad Ashraf Mir said the
authorities would invoke Special Status for the territory to seek exemption
from the test held under Indian government and get permission to conduct the
entrance test for the territory’s medical colleges by the local bodies only.