Dr. Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit, the Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, has expressed her viewpoint on the issue of wearing hijabs in educational institutes. She believes students should have the freedom to choose their attire within academic settings. "Whether to wear a hijab or not should be a student's personal decision, and nobody should be compelled," she stated in an interview with PTI, emphasizing, "I am against dress codes. There should be openness in educational institutes. Wearing a hijab is an individual's choice."
During the interview, VC Pandit remarked, 'Food and clothing are personal preferences. I don't think institutions should formulate rules on these. Individual choices must be respected.' She further noted that people wear shorts in JNU while others adopt traditional dress, signifying personal choice as paramount. 'As long as they don't force me to do the same, I have no issue,' she added.
It's noteworthy that in 2022, the hijab issue sparked major controversy in Karnataka. Six students from a government college in Udupi were expelled for wearing hijabs, which deviated from the prescribed dress code. The then BJP-led state government backed the educational institutions' dress code policies and deemed the hijab a religious symbol, although the opposition Congress supported the Muslim students. Many similar cases emerged from different institutions, creating widespread disputes.
In West Bengal's Hooghly, the Anjuman-e-Islam also protested for hijab permission in educational institutions. A significant number of Muslim women participated in a sit-in outside the Mini Vidhansaudh building, submitting memorandums to the authorities. Following Karnataka, a school in Gujarat's Surat witnessed protests by Hindu organizations against Muslim students wearing hijabs. Actions were taken by the police to prevent escalation of the conflict, detaining 15 members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and increasing vigilance in the surrounding areas.
The latest hijab controversy arose during the Gujarat Board examinations when a school teacher at a Bharuch exam center asked Muslim students to remove their hijabs. The incident gained wide attention from a leaked CCTV footage, sparking calls for teachers' suspension. A thorough inquiry was eventually ordered by the District Education Department due to the uproar.
