The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thursday filed an appeal before a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court against a single judge’s directive allowing Muslim girls to appear for the All India Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Entrance Test (AIPMT) 2016, scheduled for May 1, wearing hijab (headscarf) and full-sleeve dress.
Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque had issued the directive on Tuesday while partially allowing a writ petition filed by Amnah Bint Basheer of Thrissur, challenging the dress code prescribed by the CBSE.
Light clothes
The board, in its bulletin, has asked candidates appearing for the examination to wear light clothes with half sleeve, without big brooch buttons or badge flower, along with salwar or trousers.
In its appeal, the CBSE pointed out that the single judge’s directive would affect the smooth conduct of the examination. The judge had held that frisking of Muslim girls by women invigilators could be done, honouring the religious sentiments of the candidates.
The court observed that covering the head and wearing long-sleeve dress by Muslim women had been treated as essential practices of Islam.
The right of women to have the choice of dress based on religious injunctions “is a fundamental right protected under Article 25(1) of the Constitution”, the judge had held.
The right to have the choice of dress based on religious injunctions is a fundamental right under Article 25(1) of the Constitution
Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque
