While the controversy over students hailing from Jammu and Kashmir sporting a beard, in government-run colleges in Karnataka has been amicably resolved, another issue seems to be brewing in Rajasthan, around the institutions seeking to paint their buildings orange.

The Rajasthan College Education Commissionerate has directed 20 government-run colleges to get the facade of their buildings and entry halls painted orange, under the Kayakalp Scheme.  According to the Commissionerate, the move is to ensure a positive environment in the education institutes. The scheme is a national initiative by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to promote cleanliness, hygiene, and infection control in public healthcare facilities in India

The Opposition Congress slammed the move as an attempt to politicise educational institutions. Targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government over the matter, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) general secretary Swarnim Chaturvedi said that it was an attempt to “politicise” education in colleges. “The BJP government has failed to deliver on promises made to people. The government has nothing to highlight as its achievements and in order

to divert attention; it is resorting to such moves,” he said.

Rajasthan government  Joint Director (Planning), College Education, Vijendra Kumar Sharma issued the order last month regarding the paint of front facade and entry halls of colleges under the scheme. In the first phase, a total of 20 colleges, two colleges in each division level, have to be painted, the order said.

“The colleges are the main centres of higher education. The educational environment and scenario of the college should be such for the students that they feel positive as soon as they enter the college,” the order stated.

The joint director further said in the order that in the first phase of the scheme, two government colleges of each division have been included and the front facade and entrance hall of the 20 colleges’ buildings should be phase painted with “Asian Paints White Gold 8292 and Asian Paints Orange Crown 7974”.

Down south, in Hassan in Karnataka, a row over students from Jammu and Kashmir studying in a government nursing college in Karnataka having long beard has been sorted out amicably, an official of the institute said on Sunday.

The issue came to light when the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association wrote to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the “significant challenges” faced by the students at the college at Holenarasipura in Hassan district.

The issue was amicably solved after the students agreed to comply with the directions of the college management, said Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences director Dr Rajanna.

There are about 40 Kashmiri students in the college who alleged that they were facing “significant challenges”. They communicated their concerns to the Srinagar-based Jammu and Kashmir Students Association. “It has come to our notice that over two dozen Kashmiri students at the college are facing significant challenges due to restrictive policies concerning their personal appearance,” the association said.

The college administration has reportedly been compelling the Kashmiri students to either trim their beards to a ‘01’ trimmer length or be clean-shaven before they could be allowed to participate in college activities or enter the premises, particularly for clinical duties, the association wrote to the CM.

Students who have beards are being marked absent during clinical duties, impacting their academic records and attendance, it alleged.

“No student should be subjected to such discrimination or forced to compromise their beliefs and practices to access education. Such actions not only infringe upon the rights of these students but also create an atmosphere of fear and exclusion, which is detrimental to the spirit of education and democracy,” it added.

However, Dr Rajanna rejected the association’s charges. “These students have mistaken the instruction given about the untidy dress and keeping a long beard. During the clinical process they were instructed to keep their dress neat and trim their beards,” he said.

Rajanna said that when he came to know about the issue, he had discussed with the students, who later agreed to come with a neat dress, to be punctual and to keep the beard trimmed. “The issue is now resolved. Right now there are 40 students. The students are happy in their hostels. The faculties and principal have visited their rooms and counseled the students,” he explained.