``I am sorry..did my knees distract you from reading this poster ??'' read a placard. ``Protesting to educate you about equality'' read another. ``D Grade mindset = B Grade NAAC,'' read one more in front of a women's college gate in Hyderabad.
More than 500 women students out of 4000 plus total strength of St.Francis College for Women for Under Graduate and Post Graduate courses in Hyderabad held placards today protesting against the management over the length of kurtis and tops rule in front of their college gate for more than two hours in the morning.
``I am sorry..did my knees distract you from reading this poster ??'' read a placard. ``Protesting to educate you about equality'' read another. ``D Grade mindset = B Grade NAAC,'' read one more in front of a women's college gate in Hyderabad.
St.Francis College for Women is one of the most popular and most sought after colleges in Hyderabad city. This academic year from August 1, the college management decided to impose a dress code in the college prospectus and the student handbook. According to this college dress code, the undertaking of which is signed by students at the time of seeking admission, students can either wear Salwar-Kameez or ( with long tops and no sleeveless, cold shoulder and short tops.
At the beginning of this academic year itself, the students were cautioned that their kurtas or tops should preferably be up to knees length. This issue became the bone of contention. Some students objected to this rule saying it is regressive.
``Many of us were being sent back from the college gate itself if the women security guards found our kurtis or tops even an inch above the knees. We are okay with the dress code but the explanation given by some of our teachers saying we will be stared or we won't get marriage proposals if we don't dress properly put us off,'' said one of the students who wished not to be named.
However, the college issued point by point explanation answering the students charges.
Principal Sr.Sandra Horta in her note said, ``False allegations that the dress code was to bring marriage proposals, to avoid male attention and use of names of body parts did the rounds of social media. Whatever that had been written as code, reconfirmed as a specific name of a dress was for for the sole purpose to have uniformity and decorum and help students to focus and enjoy the core purpose of their association with college. It was and never was to dictate or curtail their freedom.''
On the other hand, parents feel this issue should be sorted out between college management and students amicably. ``There seems to be some misunderstanding or communication gap here. It should be sorted out. No one should get the blame, be it college management, or the students,'' opined Vishal Bhandari, a parent.
As of now a ``ceasefire'' has been declared by both the sides- the college management and students.
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