Bengaluru, Feb 5 (IANS): The issue of change in the preparatory examination timings on Friday for Class 10 students in Karnataka has taken a communal turn with Hindu organisations alleging that the step was taken to facilitate namaz for Muslims.

The development has stirred a controversy in the state and the state education department is likely to issue official clarification regarding the time table. The exams are scheduled from February 26 to March 3.

All exams are scheduled to begin at 10.15 a.m. everyday, except on March 1, which is a Friday, when the department has fixed the Science subject examination at 2 p.m. The Hindu organisations have claimed that the exam time table has been changed to appease Muslims by allowing them to offer morning prayers on Friday.

Srikantha Naik, a Hindu leader from Bhatkal said the education department has changed the time table as per the directions of the Congress government. The government is directly allowing appeasement in the education department, he alleged.

Sources in the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board maintained that the change in Class 10 preparatory exam was made as on the same day the exams of Kannada and Arabic subjects were scheduled to be held for Class 12 students.

As the debate rages in the state, the Education Minister, Madhu Bangarappa is expected to react and issue clarification over the matter on Monday.