Jaipur, July 31 : Sikh students in Rajasthan will no longer be forced to remove their religious symbols while appearing for competitive examinations. They are now fully permitted to wear items of religious significance such as the kara (steel bracelet), kirpan (ceremonial sword), and pagdi (turban) at examination centres. The State Home Department has issued a significant order to this effect.
Home Department Issues Directive
Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, Bhaskar A. Sawant, has issued an official letter instructing key officials—including the Principal Secretary of Medical Education, Secretary of School Education, Director General of Police, Secretaries of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission and the Rajasthan Subordinate and Ministerial Services Selection Board, and all District Collectors—to ensure full respect for the religious sentiments and dignity of Sikh candidates at examination centres. The order also emphasizes that religious beliefs of Sikh candidates must be taken into account during security checks.
Incident Prompted Official Action
This development comes after a recent incident in Jaipur where a Sikh girl student from Punjab was reportedly asked to remove her religious symbols during a competitive examination. The incident sparked outrage among Sikh organisations and candidates.
In response, Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, requesting immediate intervention. Following his appeal, the Rajasthan government promptly issued the new directive.
Welcomed by Sikh Leadership
Reacting to the state government’s move, Sukhbir Singh Badal posted on X (formerly Twitter), “I welcome the Rajasthan government’s decision allowing Sikh students to wear articles of faith including the turban, kara, and kirpan at examination centres. I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma for responding positively and swiftly to our request to ensure that there is no discrimination against baptised Sikhs.”
He further urged the Chief Minister to direct authorities to provide special opportunities to Gurpreet Kaur and other students who were unfairly denied entry into the exam due to wearing the sacred kirpan. Badal also requested that all students be screened equally, without any religious bias or discrimination against Sikh students.
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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