Rajasthan allows Sikh candidates to wear religious symbols in competitive exams

The state government issued this directive after a female candidate from Punjab was asked to remove her kara during an examination in Jaipur

Jaipur: The Rajasthan government has allowed Sikh candidates to appear in competitive exams while wearing the five Sikh symbols of faith (kakars), including kara (steel bracelet), kirpan, and turban

The incident sparked outrage among several Sikh organisations and candidates. (Representative photo)

The state government issued this directive after a female candidate from Punjab was asked to remove her kara during an examination in Jaipur. The incident sparked outrage among several Sikh organisations and candidates. “The religious sentiments and dignity of Sikh candidates must be fully respected at examination centres. Their religious beliefs should also be considered during security checks,” additional chief secretary of home department Bhaskar A. Sawant said.

All the bodies that conduct examinations, including district collectors and police authorities, were asked to implement the order immediately.

Sawant said in the order that Sikh candidates should not be prohibited from wearing religious articles such as kara, kirpan, and turban while appearing in various competitive examinations conducted by the Rajasthan public service commission, board of secondary education, staff selection board, and other departments/institutions.

“The religious beliefs of these Sikh candidates must be respected. Security agencies deployed at examination centres may be issued general instructions. If, during security checks, any of the symbols worn by Sikh candidates are found to be suspect devices, they should be examined through appropriate procedures,” he added.

The Rajasthan state minorities commission had reported that during judicial and competitive examinations on June 26, Sikh candidates were prevented at several centres from entering with a kirpan — a violation of the candidates’ fundamental rights. The candidate, Gurpreet Kaur, a resident of Pheloke village in Tarn Taran district, had to appear in the Rajasthan Judicial Services examination.

Condemning the June 26 incident, Shiromani Akali Dal president Prakash Singh Badal had asked the chief minister to intervene and appealed to the Rajasthan High Court for a special opportunity to appear for the RJS examination. “It is deeply disturbing to learn that a baptised Sikh girl, Gurpreet Kaur from TarnTaran Sahib district, was today denied entry to the Rajasthan Judicial Services examination at Poornima University, Jaipur, for wearing her sacred articles of faith — Kara and Kirpan,” Badal wrote on X.