Burqa is a non-issue, say Mangalore colleges

A Mangalore college’s decision to ban burqa has become a point of debate when it laid down the law in its prospectus. However, the college management was quick to clarify.

“We never mentioned that burqa has been banned in our campus. However, in the classroom and examination halls, the teacher and the invigilator should know the student by face. It is important to have eye contact with students. We have only made that clear in the prospectus,” said Prof AM Narahari, registrar, St. Aloysius College, following the misreporting by the media about the dress code.

“Students from different faiths join our college. So far, there have been no issues about dress code,” he said, adding that there have been no complaints from parents either on the issue.

Canara Group of Institutions, too, clarified its stand. “We have uniforms for PU students, and every student is expected to follow that discipline. The college uniform is a must for everyone. The uniform brings a sense of belonging and binds every student in a common academic atmosphere,” said Janardhana Pai, academic director, Canara PU College.

 Last year, the Dakshina Kannada district and Mangalore City experienced communal tension over the burqa issue in educational institutions twice. The first was reported in Uppinangady in Government PU College in June and the second in SVS College in Bantwal in October.