Bengaluru, April 24 : Minister for Higher Education, M.C. Sudhakar, responding to the alleged 'janeu' row, stated that the incident has not come to the notice of the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) as yet. He said that if any such incident had taken place, a report would be sought and strict action would be initiated.

It may be noted that at a CET examination centre in Koramangala, Bengaluru, a student was allegedly forced to remove his sacred thread before being allowed to write the exam.

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru on Friday, M.C. Sudhakar said, â??The infrastructure of both government and private colleges is utilised while conducting the Common Entrance Test (CET). The services of staff from various institutions are also used on a large scale. If any staff member of any institution has acted in an extreme or inappropriate manner, action will be taken.â??

He added that no report regarding the incident has reached the authorities so far. â??We do not have any information at present. It is also unclear whether the issue was resolved at the centre level. If we receive any information in this regard, strict action will definitely be taken,â?? he said.

â??There are 745 examination centres across the state. Just as the traffic police continuously create awareness about wearing helmets to save lives, yet violations still occur, similar issues arise during examinations as well. I do not know how to describe such behaviourâ??whether it is due to a particular mindset, done deliberately to create controversy, or an attempt to bring disrepute. We come across various possibilities,â?? he stated.

â??Some incidents may even be staged. We will not allow such practices. If anything of this sort has happened, we will take strict action within the legal framework,â?? Sudhakar added.

It can be noted that, the janeu row has resurfaced in Karnataka following reports that a student appearing for the CET was allegedly denied entry into the examination hall unless he removed his â??janeu.â??

The â??janeuâ?? is a sacred thread worn by Hindu males, especially Brahmins, across the left shoulder and under the right arm, symbolising initiation into education and spiritual life.

/IANS