In a significant policy shift, the Karnataka government has permitted school students to wear hijabs, janivara (sacred thread), and turbans, reversing a 2022 order from the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) administration that banned such attire. Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa announced that the new guidelines are being finalized to allow students to wear traditional and religious symbols alongside their school uniforms. This decision follows a controversy where Muslim girls were barred from classes for wearing hijabs, leading to legal challenges and a ruling by the Karnataka High Court that deemed hijab not an essential religious practice. The new regulations aim to ensure that students can express their cultural identities without facing inconvenience. Bangarappa highlighted the importance of framing clear rules to support children's welfare, indicating that the Chief Minister has directed the department to finalize these guidelines before the academic year begins. This development is expected to reignite political debates over the hijab issue in Karnataka, which has previously seen significant legal and political conflicts.