We joined this college a few years back and for as long as we can remember, not a single girl showed up in shorts or dresses or anything that showed their bare legs off (not that there’s anything wrong with that either). Later, the college suggested that the dress code would be long tops (the length was not specified) and jeans, which nobody had a problem with and most people were already following it.
Suddenly, this year ,we were asked to wear only knee-length kurtis because they believe that it provides for a good learning environment. We don’t get how that’s relevant, and there are other silly reasons that we don’t want to go into. Now, the bizarre factor here is they are so particular about the length, that even if it is an inch or lesser than an inch above the knee, students are not allowed in the campus and that is ridiculous.
Please keep in mind that since this rule has been implemented, not a single girl showed up in anything that was above their buttocks. All their kurtis cover a good part of their thighs and just because it barely touches the knee, they think it’s inappropriate and they’re made to stand outside, miss classes and tests and lose attendance. Not to mention, the lady guards were harassing them and causing a ruckus, to say the least.
What’s bothering us students is the fact that why is every inch taken into account? We never said that we want to show up in as minimum clothing as possible. We’re not stupid. We all understand that a dress code is necessary in every educational institution. All we are saying is that just because our kurtis are short of an inch or two why are we being harassed and made to stand and miss classes? This is not why we’re here. We’re here to learn and get an education. But because of this whole dress code drama we’re being deprived of that too.
If the college is so bothered about our welfare as women, then instead of spending all this time and energy punishing us why not spend that same time getting someone to teach us self defense or any other things that would prepare us for the world? So much for the empowerment of women, SMH!
When a student hears the word ‘rule,’ the very first instinct is definitely not, “I’m not going to obey it.” We like to understand why the rule exists, and as students who are learning various subjects of our interest, it is surely not wrong to understand and comprehend the existence of this rule too.
Like previously said, we tried our best to understand the reasoning behind this, but on the other hand, we were repeatedly not understood by the administration. The communication from our end was not received with empathy on their end.
One rule can’t be forced on us by simply adding more stringent rules. Especially when these very rules have denied students entry to class, attendance and many more facilities inside the college.