The order comes a week after a girls hostel at IIT Delhi had asked students to dress in "fully covered decent western dress or Indian dress" for their house day. The notice was later pulled down after continuous protests by students.
A recent notice by Delhi University's Department of Social Work (DSW) has sparked controversy by asking student residents to wear "proper dress" while coming to the common room of the hostel. The notice, which was put up four days ago also prohibits eating, sleeping, bullying or any other indecent behaviour in the common room, and warns of disciplinary action against the violators.
The order comes a week after a girls hostel at IIT Delhi had asked students to dress in "fully covered decent western dress or Indian dress" for their house day. The notice was later pulled down after continuous protests by students.
Explaining the reason for the notice, the head of DSW and provost of the hostel, Prof Neera Agnimitra said, "We had received a complaint from few girl students who complained about some "improperly dressed" male students sleeping in the common room.
According to sources, the decision to put up the notice was taken after the warden notified that boy residents should come to the common room in appropriate night dress. "Generally, we don't interfere in these issues. But as these girl students came to us, we had to take some step," Agnimitra added.
The hostel houses both male and female students, and residents can use the common room for studying, watching television and reading newspapers. The notice on the DSW hostel does not specify what "proper" dress meant, but residents have started raising their voices against the diktat.
Agnimitra said she had also held a general body meeting with the students on the issue on Thursday.
The notice at IIT issued on 16 April at the Himadri Hostel, had urged all residents "to wear full covered decent western or Indian dress" during their House Day on 20 April. Terming it "moral policing", hostel students had protested against the notice and shared it on social media, where it was criticised by students, alumni and activists.
Ordering the notice to be removed, the IIT-Delhi administration said it wasn't aware why the notice had been issued since there's no dress code on campus or interference in the personal affairs of students.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "DELHI_SCHOOL_OF_SOCIAL_WORK")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}