Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council seeks postponement of exams

The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) has requested postponement of national engineering entrance examinations scheduled on Maundy Thursday and Easter.

The KCBC pointed out that conducting competitive examinations on days that Christians observe as sacred festivals amounted to violation of the fundamental right to freedom of religion enshrined in the Indian Constitution. This recurrent tendency was an encroachment into the right to faith of the minority communities. These days hold deep spiritual significance in the Christian faith and participating in exams on those days would affect their meaningful observance.

Therefore, the competitive exams scheduled on Maundy Thursday and Easter should be postponed, urged KCBC president Archbishop Varghese Chakkalakal, vice president Bishop Samuel Mar Irenios, and secretary general Archbishop Thomas Tharayil. The KCBC will also write to the Central government and the national testing agencies raising the demand.