Mumbai: After hijab, Chembur college bans jeans and T-shirts

Earlier, the college had banned the use of naqab, hijab, burkha, stoles, caps. File pic

Students and student organisations have come down heavily on a Chembur college for imposing restrictions on wearing ripped jeans and jerseys. The move comes two months after the college banned burka, naqab, and hijab on campus. On June 27, the principal of N G Acharya and D K Marathe College of Arts, Science, and Commerce went a step ahead and issued a fresh dress code circular banning jeans and T-shirts. This comes days after the Bombay High Court dismissed a plea filed by Muslim female students of the college, challenging the institute's circular banning hijab and other religious identifiers.

Some students even called the new diktat "outdated, old-fashioned and draconian". The dress code circular issued recently states: "Students should wear a formal and decent dress while on the campus. They can wear a half-shirt or full-shirt and trousers. Girls can wear any Indian or Western outfits. Students shall not wear any dress which shows religion or cultural disparity. Naqab, hijab, burkha, stole, cap, badge etc shall be removed by going to common rooms on the ground floor and then only students can move throughout the college campus." It further reads: "Jeans, T-shirts, revealing dresses and jerseys are not allowed."

During the previous academic session, the college introduced uniforms for students from the junior college section, which banned hijab, and the students wearing hijab/naqab were denied entry. This year, through a circular dated May 1, 2024, the college mandated that the students must wear only "formal and decent clothes" in college. "You can wear a full shirt or half shirt, or normal trousers. Girls can wear any Indian dress. Burka, naqab, hijab or any part of the dress which reveals religion like badge, cap, stole is to be removed as soon as you come," the circular read.

Students were asked to remove their hijab or niqab at the girls' common room in college after entering the gate. Nine students had moved the HC against the ban. But their plea was dismissed by the HC last month stating that larger academic interest doesn't violate rights. "My academic performance will not be determined by what I wear to college, so why such crazy rules? This is absolutely draconian," a student said.

According to advocate Manoj Tekade, state president, Prahar Student Union, enforcing a dress code can be seen as "intellectual bankruptcy". "Even though the principal of Marathe College in Chembur has issued a directive prohibiting female students from wearing jeans and T-shirts, the Prahar Student Union condemns this regressive order. The principal should retract the statement regarding the dress code; otherwise, the Prahar Student Union will protest," he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Vidyagauri Lele, principal of Acharya-Marathe college, told mid-day that the dress code is important and beneficial for the students. "As per the university circular, we teach 180 days out of 365, and students are required to attend at least 120-130 days. Given this, what problem should they have in following the dress code for these days? There are holidays and vacations when students can wear whatever they want.

Even in the earlier circular issued in May, we mentioned that only formal and decent attire would be allowed on campus. This is the first time we have specifically mentioned restrictions on jeans, t-shirts etc. In a year or two, these students will be in offices where such casual attire is not permitted. This dress code will only prepare them."

Lele added that on Tuesday, she visited each classroom and addressed the students on various issues, particularly the dress code. "We are allowing both Indian and Western outfits for girls, including trousers and leggings/jeggings with kurtis; but jeans, T-shirts and jerseys are not allowed. Any indecent or revealing dresses are prohibited on campus."

Dress code debates

July 2022: St Xavier's College banned sleeveless or short tops as well as short dresses, shorts and ripped jeans.

October 2014: Nalanda College of Law in Borivli West banned girls from wearing skirts, shorts and sleeveless tops as well as displaying body piercings and tattoos. Boys were asked to wear white shirts and black trousers.

June 2010: Krishna Menon College, Bhandup, banned "figure-hugging" jeans. Three girls were denied admission for wearing tight jeans.