Karnataka: Brahmin Outfit Protests In Kalaburagi Against 'Janivara' Removal During NEET UG 2025

Members of the Brahmin community staged a protest outside a NEET examination centre in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, on Sunday after several students were allegedly asked to remove their sacred thread (Janivara) before being allowed to sit the exam.

The protest began after a student, Shripad Patil, was reportedly made to take off his sacred thread at St. Mary's School, the designated exam venue, prior to being granted entry, according to PTI.

Photo Credit: ANI

A large number of community members gathered at the site, raising slogans and holding a sit-in demonstration. Protesters accused the authorities of showing disregard for religious sentiments and failing to adhere to official guidelines.

Footage released by ANI showed demonstrators displaying their sacred threads and confronting security personnel at the entrance.

In the wake of the incident, the Karnataka government filed a case against those responsible and issued updated directives to prevent similar occurrences.

Nevertheless, protesters alleged that multiple Brahmin candidates on Sunday were again either asked to remove or had their sacred threads forcibly cut before being allowed to enter.

This controversy follows a similar incident during the April 16 Common Entrance Test (CET), in which sacred threads were also reportedly removed from Brahmin students.

NEET UG 2025: Nationwide Medical Entrance Exam Conducted

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate programmes (NEET UG) 2025 was conducted nationwide on Sunday by the National Testing Agency (NTA), with thousands of aspiring medical students appearing at centres across the country.

Held annually, the examination determines admissions to MBBS, BDS, and other undergraduate medical courses, attracting participation from lakhs of students.

Visuals from across India showed candidates arriving early at their centres amid heightened security.

The NTA had declared a day earlier that all arrangements were in place to ensure the safe and secure conduct of the exam. State authorities were placed on high alert.

This year's increased security measures come in response to the NEET-UG 2024 controversy, which involved accusations of question paper leaks, inflated scores, and legal disputes over grace marks. That episode had prompted protests and legal scrutiny.

To safeguard the integrity of the exam this year, candidates were subjected to thorough checks by local police in addition to standard NTA protocols. Question papers and OMR sheets were transported under full police escort to prevent any breach.

Authorities are also monitoring coaching institutes and digital platforms to deter organised cheating. All examination centres have been equipped with CCTV surveillance to ensure transparency and accountability.

(With agency inputs)