BENGALURU: Tabassum Shaik, who topped the arts stream in the Second Pre-University (PU) exams, scoring an astounding 593 out of 600, recalled that the success came after she battled the hijab controversy during a pivotal period of her life.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Tabassum, from the NMKRV PU College for Women in Bengaluru, said she was very proud of her achievements, but she regrets that she could not do it wearing a hijab. “The first year was relatively smooth. Towards the end of the year, there were a lot of difficulties and uncertainties. I could not wear my hijab and burqa and attend college,” she told The New Indian Express.
She was hesitant to remove the hijab, but that was the law then and she had to follow it.
When she was in a quandary, her father Abdul Khaum Shaik, an electrical engineer, and mother, Parveen Modi, a housewife, sat her down and spoke to her. “When the controversy erupted, I had to choose between my religion and education. It is an integral part of my identity and religion, so being forced to choose between one or the other felt illogical, especially in a secular country. For some time, I didn’t attend college during that time,” she said.
She also said many girl students had dropped out of her college, opting to take up correspondence courses or join open schools instead. “My parents explained to me that it was important to continue with my education. They said that if I studied hard, I could do something against this injustice. My friends were very supportive as they knew that for the first time, I was going to my college without a hijab and was uncomfortable,” she told The New Indian Express.
Tabassum has already got admission in RV University to pursue her Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Psychology. “I wanted to study psychology and build a career in mental health. After my bachelor's, I want to pursue my master's and specialise in clinical psychology,” she said. Tabassum’s elder brother is pursuing M.Tech.