Removing of religious symbols: PGIMER expresses regret

The PGIMER today regretted the incident in which some Sikh students were allegedly asked to remove religious symbols like kirpan and kada (bracelet) before taking its entrance test, and maintained there was no intention to hurt anyone's religious sentiments.
"If anyone's sentiments have been hurt, it is clarified that there was no intention of the same and it is regretted," a spokesperson of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) said.
The official said the measure were taken to ensure the "integrity and fairness of the entrance examinations and never intended to hurt the religious sentiments of anyone."

"All the candidates appearing for the entrance tests of all the medical and paramedical courses were strictly advised beforehand not to bring mobile phones, pagers, pens, wrist watches, rings, wallets, ornaments (earrings, nose pins, bangles, rings etc) inside the examination hall.
"These instructions were widely circulated and were printed on the admit card, and were available on the institute's website also," she said.
Parents of some Sikh candidates had alleged their children were asked to remove religious symbols like kirpan and kada to gain entry at some centres here for the PGIMER entrance test on Sunday.

The candidates, who also included girls, were later allowed to take the test and were also compensated for the loss of time.

Last year, a cheating racket was busted during the post graduate entrance test conducted by the institute. Students were found copying using hi-tech gadgets, earphones and other miniature electronic devices.
Earlier, condemning the incident, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) had requested Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil to take stern action on duty officers at these centres for "harassing" the Sikh candidates.