Ahmedabad: A dispute over dress code and religious symbols led to a tense standoff between two organisations at a NEET exam centre in Ahmedabad on Sunday, with police detaining three people after the situation briefly escalated into a scuffle.
The re-examination was held under tight security at 211 centres across Gujarat, part of a nationwide re-test following the NEET-UG paper leak controversy. The exam began at 2 pm, with students allowed entry only after thorough checking between 11 am and 1.30 pm. Despite the strict protocols, a major controversy broke out at the R.J. Tibrewala College exam centre in Ahmedabad over dress code and religious symbols.
The dispute centred on female students wearing the hijab and other students wearing a kanthi (a sacred thread or necklace) around the neck or a dora (thread) tied to the wrist. Some organisations and parents alleged that the exam guidelines were being enforced in a one-sided manner.
According to the parents’ allegations, students were required under the guidelines to remove neck threads, wrist threads and metal items before entering the centre. They claimed Hindu students were made to remove their kanthi, while other female students were allowed to enter wearing the hijab. A counter-allegation also surfaced claiming that Muslim female students who had already entered the centre were called back outside, asked to put the hijab back on, and then sent back in.
On learning of the dispute, workers from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) arrived at the college in large numbers. A war of words between the two sides escalated into friction and a brief scuffle on the premises, creating a tense atmosphere for some time.
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Senior police officials, including an ACP, rushed to the spot before the situation could worsen further. Police brought the situation under control and put a tight security arrangement in place. Workers from the protesting organisations were removed from the site, and three people were detained for violating regulations.
Additional police personnel have since been deployed at the exam centre, and the administration says the situation is fully under control. Officials have issued clear instructions that no disruption to the examination process will be tolerated. Police have appealed to the public to stay away from rumours circulating on social media and to maintain peace.
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