The young man came into contact with the University to request authorization to take the exam with the attire, his application was denied.
12/02/2014: The court granted an injunction to a young member of Sikh religious community to do college entrance exam at the University of Minas Gerais (UEMG) wearing a turban. With this measure, the graduate student, who is a philosophy professor, took an exam in visual arts on Sunday. According to the lawyer Pedro Gustavo Gomes Andrade, of the Human Rights Committee of the Bar Association of Brazil, the decision was unprecedented in Brazil and should serve as a precedent for other processes.
This is not the first time a student is unable to do college entrance exams with the use of turban in Belo Horizonte. In January last year, the music student Hector Vicente Correa, 24, had to remove the garment to take the exam at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). Devotees of Indian religion Sikh Dharma can dress as they wish, however, the use of the turban is indispensable. Failure to use the garment in public is, for devotees, not only an act of humiliation, but also a kind of negation of faith itself.
Anticipating that would go through the same embarrassment, the candidate who adopts the spiritual name SIMRANJEET SINGH KHALSA (David Pantuzza), contacted the UEMG to ask for authorization. "Two years ago, a friend, who follows the same religion, underwent an embarrassment and had to take off his turban. Knowing how the government exams operate in Brazil, I sent an email requesting exemption from the head accessory rule. However, I was not allowed," says Simranjeet Singh.
With this refusal from the institution, Simranjeet Singh searched for the lawyers Pedro Andrade and Thiago Moreira Santos, of the Human Rights Commission of OAB, to request the injunction. "On Thursday we filed an injunction to asking that religious freedom and religious diversity be respected. The judge accepted the plea and granted the injunction," said Andrade.
In its decision, Denia Francisca Corgosinho Taborda, of surrogate Law Judge of the 4th Court of the Treasury and Local Authorities, cited religious freedom. "Although the exam rule book states that it is not allowed for people to enter the exam hall using caps, hats or similar articles, it is noteworthy that the turban is a religious symbol. It is used as a religious expression and if it is not mere fashion accessory it can not be compared to the accessories described in the rules, "he said.
The magistrate ruled that the applicant use a smaller turban that would allow reviewers to see his ears, to show that it did not make use of electronic aids or headphones. The decision was celebrated by lawyers. "The Sikh community is in the fight for a while to wear turbans in public places. Previously, they could not wear turbans in their passport photos and even at airports. Now, they no longer have to remove their turbans. College entrance exams still have this rule. But this was the first decision like this in Brazil and it will be used as a precedent, "says Andrade.
Future changes
Already accustomed to the teasing comments on the streets, Simranjeet Singh did not expect to go through constraints if approved in the selection process. "I feel calm, I'm pretty neutral about it, people are more open to accept the differences," he said. However, he hopes that his case be an example. "One thing I want to do is meet with the rectory of UEMG to try to unsure this change so that someone who observes a religion like me, doesn't have to suffer through this again." he said.