NEW DELHI—A Delhi High Court bench comprising of Justices Ravindra Bhat and A.K. Chawla on May 3 directed the Central Board of Secondary Education to allow Sikh students wearing Sikh articles of faith, kara and kirpan, in NEET-2018. The move has come in response to a petition moved by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee.
The Delhi High Court bench said in its verdict that the CBSE cannot prohibit entry of these “articles of faith” in an exam center when these objects are allowed even on-board an aircraft.
However, the bench has mandated entry of Sikh students an hour earlier to the examination hall than the reporting time.
Sources have informed that the CBSE excused before the Court that these items (Sikh Kakaars), along with all other metallic objects, were barred from entry on account of use of unfair means in the exam in the past while adding that such a prohibition cannot be put in place on the basis of a “vague apprehension”.
“There cannot be a vague apprehension that people who come for the test will do it (cheat). Is there even one instance of misuse of these objects? If you go by your rule, there are lot of implants..,” the court replied and added “uniformity of the policy should not lead to absurdity”.
The Court also observed that there was no law in India which prohibits the two objects of faith. “Such policies would lead to a situation where a person would not be able to enter a mall or an aircraft”, the Court said.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test or NEET-UG is an entrance examination in India, for students who wish to study any graduate medical course (MBBS), dental course (BDS) or postgraduate course (MD / MS) in government or private medical colleges in India. NEET-UG (Undergraduate), for MBBS and BDS courses, is conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The NEET-2018 is scheduled to be held on May 6.
How much disgrace Sikhs will endure before they say enough is enough.