The restrictions have not been officially communicated to students who said the diktat has been kept unofficial for BHU authorities to deny them in case of protests.
Female students at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have been told to keep their face uncovered while entering the campus and avoid using phones while coming in and going out. The controversial restrictions come after policemen thrashed female students to control spiralling protests against inaction in a case of sexual harassment at Asia's largest residential university last month.
Some students said that sitting with male friends on the 1,300-acre campus has also come under the university's watch. The restrictions have not been officially communicated to students who said the diktat has been kept unofficial for BHU authorities to deny them in case of protests.
Female students had recently written to the administration, asking it to stop interfering in their personal lives in the name of security. But more restrictions have followed. Even hostel timings have not been relaxed despite Chief Proctor Royana Singh's promise.
"Every girl, who covers her face with a scarf, has been asked to show her face and only then will she be allowed to enter the campu," said Mineshi Mishra, Member of Joint action Committee for BHU.
"This order has been justified by the guards who say this will prevent outsiders from entering the campus," Mishra added.
"The question, however, is how can guards remember someone's face and know whether she is an insider or outsider on a campus of over 12,000 students?"
"Also, there are female proctors sitting at the gates of hostels and institutes, making sure that we are not using phones while moving in and out of the campus," she added.
"All these are tactics to keep the girls under control and tell them that if they protest, this is what they will have to face. Soon after the campus reopened after the protests, some girls were also told that action will be taken against them for breaking hostel timing rules and participating in protests," said another student.
Chief Proctor Singh, however, said that she has not given any instruction to restrict mobile phone use. "The only instruction I have given to security guards is that whoever comes to BHU should have an identity card." Asked about her assurance to extend curfew timings, she agreed that a decision has not been taken. "We can only decide on the matter at a meeting with all deans. Most of them are on leave for Diwali. We will have a meeting soon," said Singh.
Students had written to all authorities, including the Chief Proctor, the Vice Chancellor, Hostel Coordinators, demanding hostel timings be extended till 10 p.m. and the central library be kept open for 24 hours.
"If the administration wants to beef up security, it should take better steps than tracking our personal lives and daily activities," said Ananya, another student.
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