A college in Udupi has been accused of not allowing three hijab-wearing students to appear for their practical examinations on Monday.

The Government Pre-University College in Udupi, where the hijab row started two months ago, allegedly turned down the students’ requests to let them appear for the practical examination held from 9.30am to 11am.

Almas A.H., one of the three students, tweeted that they were denied permission although it was the final exam. “Today was our final practical exam! We had completed our record books and went in great hopes to attend the practical exam. It was so disheartening when our principal threatened us saying, ‘You have 5 mins to leave, if you don’t leave, I’ll file a police complaint’.”

The three second-year pre-university (12th standard) science students are among the eight girls denied entry into classrooms with hijab since December. While two of them have since backed out, the remaining six have continued their fight for their right to wear the headscarf.

“Right now we should have been in our labs attending the practicals, not compelled to leave. The hopes I had from college and my dreams are getting shattered due to the hatred sowed against hijab,” Almas wrote in a second tweet. She is one of the petitioners who moved Karnataka High Court over the hijab issue.

She later released a video message questioning the principal’s action. “What kind of justice is this? Have we committed any crime?”

“The teachers told us to remove hijab and appear for the exam, but we said we cannot do that. They even refused to sign our records,” said Almas.

“We could not attend classes for two months. Yet we studied by watching YouTube videos. We went to college expecting permission to appear for the exam,” she added.

College principal Rudre Gowda told reporters that he tried his best to convince the students to appear for the exam after complying with the high court interim order restraining students from wearing any religious markings.

“I spoke to them for several minutes trying to convince them to appear for the exams by removing their hijab. I asked them to comply with the conditions and give their exam even after 9.30am. But they just refused to listen to me,” he said.

The full bench of the Karnataka High Court had on Friday reserved the judgement after hearing the batch of petitions in the hijab issue.