Traditional Mysore turban to replace convocation caps in Karnataka

Students passing out of the Universities in Karnataka will no longer wear the academic caps at the convocation ceremonies. Instead, they can sport the traditional Mysore turban.

A decision to ban the British legacy of wearing the academic caps, which are called as mortarboard, was taken by the Inter University Board at its recent meeting. The Universities have been given the option of using the Mysore turban, which is expected to add local flavour to the annual academic exercise.

“We have banned the use of these academic caps by students as well as faculty during convocation ceremonies. Wearing of Mysore turban, however, will be optional. Wearing of Mysore turban is not mandatory. Our idea of banning the convocation caps is to discontinue the British legacy”, Karnataka’s Higher Education Minister D H Shankarmurthy told reporters.

However, there will no change in the wearing of the gowns by students and faculty during the convocations.

The IUB’s decision will apply to all the students passing out of the nine Universities in Karnataka. They will no longer be seen wearing the mortarboard while receiving their degree certificates during convocations.

Shankarmurthy said the decision to abandon the practice of wearing the convocation caps was taken after he was impressed with the sight of a few students adorning themselves with sparkling Mysore turbans at a recent convocation of Karnataka State Open University held in Mysore near here.

The practice of wearing mortarboard has already been dispensed with in many parts of the world. The Mysore turban, which is set to replace the mortarboard, had been the traditional headgear of people in the erstwhile Mysore state. Though a few old-timers still wear the head-gear, the Mysore turban routinely makes an appearance when distinguished personalities are honoured with it during formal ceremonies in different parts of Karnataka.

As a consequence of the Inter University Board’s decision, the ceremonial mortarboards were conspicuous by their absence at the sixth annual convocation of Visvesvaraya Technological University held at Belgaum yesterday.

Neither the students nor the faculty and the VIPs including President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam attending the Visvesvaraya Technological University’s convocation were found sporting the ceremonial caps yesterday. However, students, faculty and the VIPs did not either wear the Mysore turban as the authorities were not able to arrange for the same.