Tension at Ahmedabad NEET centre after dispute over hijab, religious symbols

Ahmedabad: A brief confrontation over the implementation of examination security and dress code rules at a NEET re-examination centre in Ahmedabad on Sunday led to tensions outside the venue, with parents, student groups and political workers briefly clashing before police restored order.

The incident occurred at R.J. Tibrewal Commerce College in the Vastrapur area, one of the designated centres for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) re-examination, which was conducted across India following the controversy surrounding paper leak.

In Gujarat, the examination was held at 211 centres, with entry procedures carried out between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. before the test began at 2 p.m., according to officials.

Security arrangements for the re-exam were tightened across the state, with multi-layer frisking, identity verification and strict enforcement of guidelines issued by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Officials said similar measures were in place nationally to ensure the integrity of the examination process.

The situation at the Ahmedabad centre escalated after a female candidate wearing a hijab was initially subjected to security screening.

According to officials and eyewitness accounts, the garment was temporarily removed during the check.

The candidate’s mother objected, insisting that her daughter should be permitted to appear for the examination while wearing the hijab.

Following discussions involving the college principal, examination staff and police personnel, she was allowed to re-enter the centre wearing the religious attire.

This decision triggered objections from some parents present at the venue, who alleged uneven application of examination rules.

They claimed that students wearing Hindu religious symbols such as sacred threads (kalava), necklaces (kanthi) and bracelets were asked to remove them during frisking, and questioned why exceptions were being made in other cases.

As word of the dispute spread, the situation outside the centre became tense, with parents staging protests and raising demands for uniform enforcement of rules.

Members associated with Bajrang Dal and individuals linked to AIMIM also gathered outside the premises. The confrontation briefly turned heated, with reports of a minor scuffle.

Police intervened to control the situation and prevent further escalation. Senior officers, including Assistant Commissioner of Police (A Division) Jayesh Bhrambhatt, reached the spot and supervised crowd control measures.

According to police, several individuals were removed from the premises for violating public order. “Members from different organisations had gathered at the centre, and the situation was brought under control after intervention. Students were required to remove certain religious items during checks as part of standard procedure, and those objecting were counselled by officials,” he told IANS.

He added that the candidate in question was allowed to proceed with the examination and that the environment had been stabilised.

Authorities confirmed that despite the brief tension outside, the examination continued without disruption inside the centre.

Across Gujarat, NEET re-examination centres operated under heightened security after concerns were raised in previous years over examination integrity and malpractice.

Nationally, the NEET examination is conducted for more than 20 lakh candidates across hundreds of centres, with strict protocols on permitted items and frisking procedures designed to prevent unfair practices.

Police have appealed to the public to maintain calm and avoid circulating unverified claims on social media, stressing that law and order was maintained throughout the conduct of the examination at the Ahmedabad centre.

IANS