On April 3, the Public Service Commission (PSC) examination contained a question which sparked controversy. After severe backlash the question was scrapped.

The PSC examination question paper asked candidates to choose from four options, the names of the first women in the 10-50 age group to enter the Sabarimala temple.

The question was asked in the online examination for the appointment of assistant professor (psychiatry) for the medical education department.

The multiple-choice question had four options:

(a)Bindu Thankam Kalyani and CS Libi

(b)Bindu Ammini and Kanakadurga

(c) Sasikala and Sobha

(d)Soorya Devarchana and Parvathi

Following massive backlash by netizens on social media, the PSC decided to scrap the question. The body has also recommended that action be taken against the person who had prepared the question paper which featured the controversial issue.

Bindu and Kanakadurga, two women of menstruating age, visited Sabarimala on January 2. Bindu from Kozhikode and Kanakadurga from Malappuram entered the shrine with the help of police officials. This was not their first attempt. Earlier, on December 24, Bindu and Kanakadurga attempted to visit the shrine for the first time but were taken back by the police due to security issues. 

Hindu outfits called for a dawn-to-dusk 12-hour hartal on January 3 after the duo entered Sabarimala.

The chief priest of the Sabarimala temple had closed the doors of the shrine to perform purification rites after it was confirmed that two women entered the temple through the back gate and had darshan of Lord Ayyappa.

MyNation spoke to both Bindu and Kanakadurga. According to them, the question posed in the PSC exam was a worthy question and there was no need to pull it down.