Colombo: The Sri Lankan Examinations Department has withheld the Advanced Level (A/L) examination results of 70 students from Zahira College, Trincomalee, for not adhering to a rule requiring both ears to remain uncovered during the exam. This rule, mandated by the Education Department and passed by Parliament after consultations with stakeholders including Muslim religious leaders, aims to prevent the use of unauthorized communication devices during the examination.
Commissioner General of Examinations, Amith Jayasundara, emphasized that the rule was implemented to ensure the integrity of the examination process. He stated that merely showing the ears upon entering the exam hall is insufficient, as it does not guarantee that students will not use devices during the exam. Jayasundara confirmed that students who followed the rule did not face issues with their results, and the department is reviewing the cases of those who did not comply.
A teacher from Zahira College, speaking anonymously, explained that while the students did not wear hijabs, they used shawls to keep their ears visible. This adherence to the rule, though, did not satisfy the examination officials. The teacher noted that the students traveled from various towns to attend Zahira College and should have followed the established regulations to avoid complications.
Sri Lankan Parliament member MS Thowfeek, representing the Trincomalee district, has communicated with the Education Department regarding the issue and assured that the results will be released once approved by the Executive Board.
Activist Shreen Saroor criticized the penalties as discriminatory, claiming they reflect anti-Muslim sentiments and are part of a broader pattern of systemic barriers against Muslim girls. She accused politicians of exploiting the issue for electoral gains amidst communal tensions.
This incident echoes a similar controversy in October 2023, when results of thirteen Muslim women were withheld for wearing hijabs during principal-appointment exams. SJB Parliamentarian Mujibur Rahman noted that the results were eventually released in March 2024, but only after significant controversy surrounding the enforcement of the rule.
Hijab Controversy in India:-
In Karnataka, the Udupi hijab dispute emerged in late 2021 when Muslim female students sought to wear hijabs as part of their school uniforms, leading to widespread protests and legal battles. The controversy began in January 2022 when Udupi college barred students wearing hijabs from entering campus, citing a uniform dress code that did not include hijabs.
The college administration’s directive to remove the hijab was challenged by students, who argued that the rule infringed on their religious practices. The dispute intensified with protests and legal challenges.
The controversy gained further attention with the involvement of Muskan Zainab, a student at PES College of Arts, Science, and Commerce in Mandya, who was linked to the banned radical Islamic organization Popular Front of India through her father, Abdul Sukoor. Zainab's public display of Islamic slogans during a protest against Hindu students highlighted the tensions and the role of extremist groups in the dispute.
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