What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
Purba Bardhaman, September 14, 2025:
What should have been a routine SSC (School Service Commission) recruitment examination in West Bengal has turned into a flashpoint of religious and cultural outrage. At Kalna Hindu Girls’ High School in Purba Bardhaman, a newlywed Hindu woman walked away from the teacher recruitment exam after being asked to remove her noa—the iron bangle symbolizing her marital status.
For Hindu women, especially newly married ones, the noa is not a piece of jewelry—it is a sacred sign of sadhaba (married life). Forcing its removal is seen not merely as an administrative rule, but a direct humiliation of faith and tradition.
Out of 397 candidates, two women resisted the diktat. While one, under pressure, reluctantly removed her bangle and entered the hall, the other stood her ground. “I am a newly married Hindu woman. I will never remove my noa. Why should I? If that means I cannot give the exam, I will walk away,” she declared, and did exactly that—returning home without sitting for the test.
This incident has shaken the Hindu community, with many questioning why only Hindu symbols are being targeted in the name of ‘exam security’. Shankha and pola were reportedly allowed, but metallic noa was singled out. The inconsistency has fueled suspicions of a larger agenda at play.
School authorities attempted to downplay the matter, claiming there was no formal complaint. But the reality remains—an educated young Hindu woman had to sacrifice her career opportunity to preserve her dignity and beliefs.
Community leaders and Hindu organizations have condemned the act as part of a systematic attempt to dilute Hindu traditions under bureaucratic pretexts. They argue that this is not an isolated incident, but one more step in a chain of cultural erasures designed to undermine Hindutva.
What unfolded in Purba Bardhaman is more than just an exam controversy—it is a chilling reminder that the battle to preserve Hindu identity is not only on the streets or in politics, but now even inside examination halls.
