Safina Khan Soudagar, a 24-year-old woman from Goa, on Monday filed a complaint with the State Human Rights Commission for not being allowed to take the National Eligibility Test held at Panaji on December 18 for wearing a hijab.
Ms. Soudagar also filed a complaint with Shubhalaxmi Naik, chairperson, Goa State Women’s Right Commission on the same issue. She said she cannot be deprived of her personal liberty and right.
“Articles 25-28 provide that I have freedom to practise my religion. Therefore, such behaviour is unacceptable in a secular state and is a matter of harassment,” she said in her complaint.
She pointed out that there are no rules specified on the NET website or elsewhere related to restrictions on the hijab or a particular dress code. If there were any changes made to the rules the candidates should have been informed prior to the examination date, she said.
“I would like to inform you that the photograph attached to my online application was also in a hijab and if there had been a change in rules, my application should not have been accepted and the reason should have been specified. It has cost me time, effort, money and has also raised questions on my religious identity, humiliated me and belittled my beliefs,” she said.
She recalled that she had appeared for the NET exam earlier and no such restrictions were imposed.
Meanwhile, responding to the complaint, Director, Higher Education, Goa, Prasad Lolayekar, said the State government or his department were not associated with the conduct of the examination, but promised to take up the issue with Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and the National Testing Agency (NTA), New Delhi which conducts the NET.
