Karnataka: CET Exam Officer In Shivamogga Booked For Allegedly Asking Students To Remove 'Janeu'

An FIR has been registered against the CET exam officer at Adichunchanagiri School in Sharavathinagara in Shivamogga district after controversy over reports that students appearing for the Karnataka CET were allegedly asked to remove their sacred thread (Janeu), ANI reported.

Officials said the FIR was lodged under Sections 115(2), 299, 351(1), and 352, alongside Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, following a complaint from one Nataraj Bhagavath.

Authorities have launched an investigation to probe the circumstances in which students were allegedly instructed to remove religious symbols.

Karnataka Higher Education Minister M C Sudhakar described the incident as “very unfortunate” and acknowledged that similar complaints had also surfaced from Bidar.

However, he clarified that the examination process went smoothly at most other centres across the state.

"This incident is very unfortunate. It happened not only in Shivamogga but also in Bidar. Everywhere else, the process went smoothly except for two centres. The people responsible for checking or frisking for any gadgets, or even for whatever protocols were followed, were never instructed to check or remove such items," he said while speaking to news agency ANI.

"This was not mentioned to be checked or removed to write the exam. We respect all religions, their faith, and their deeds... We are not going to accept this, and we are going to take action...," he added.

Two second-year PU students in Karnataka’s Shivamogga were allegedly forced to remove their ‘janivara’ (sacred thread) by the security staff at a Common Entrance Test (CET) examination centre, India Today reported.

Following the incident, which occurred on 16 April at the Aadichunchanagiri Independent PU College, members of the Brahmin community in the city confronted the police and demanded action against the security guard involved.

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