In the Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (MTEC), female candidates who appear for exams will be allowed to wear hijab along with a burka or a ‘dupatta’ during the test with strict conditions regarding their visibility on the face, according to Maharashtra State Council of Examination (MSCE).
In the updated rules, candidates are allowed to wear religious/traditional religious head coverings, provided not to hide more than the head, neck and face, and provided not to obstruct identification of the candidate. The rule has been implemented to make sure that candidates’ face is always in full view on CCTV cameras, the council said.
It follows the ambiguity over the uniform of female aspirants who were appearing in their eligibility test. The guidelines are intended to strike a balance between religious/cultural practice and transparency and security during examination,” said the MSCE.
Throughout the examination, officials repeatedly stressed the importance of facial visibility for identity checking purposes as well as for optimal CCTV support – this is an important element in the built-in anti-malpractice measures of the examination. Candidates are warned that they will need to adhere to the dress code so as to not cause any inconvenience on the test day.
MET is conducted to find out the eligibility of the candidates who are looking for a teaching position in schools in Maharashtra. Security measures are in place to ensure a fair and transparent assessment process, including CCTV cameras at the site.
The MSCE has reminded all the candidates to review the examination guidelines carefully before the examination and follow the given guidelines to conduct the examination smoothly.