Mumbai, Dec 13: The debate over burqas, hijabs and niqabs in educational institutions resurfaced in early December 2025 at Vivek Vidyalaya Junior College in Goregaon West, where a temporary ban on burqas and niqabs triggered student protests and hunger strikes.

Following sustained demonstrations, the college withdrew the ban on burqas but continued to restrict face-covering niqabs, citing security and identification concerns.

Echoes of the Karnataka Hijab Controversy

The issue first drew national attention in February 2022, when a government college in Udupi, Karnataka, banned hijabs (head covering) in classrooms, triggering widespread protests and a legal battle that reached the Supreme Court. While the Karnataka High Court upheld the ban in state-run schools and colleges, the Supreme

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