Kozhikode:
18-year-olds starting at a Northern Kerala college will have to wear a uniform of a kurta, a churidaar and an overcoat instead of a dupatta, said officials at the women's college in the district of Kozhikode. Kerala is averaging about 27 degrees currently, the temperature can climb to 45 degrees during summers.
The dress code which applies for first-year students comes into effect on July 8 when the new session begins. Senior students - whose term has already begun - don't have to wear a uniform but have been told that they must wear only churidaar-kurtas. The overcoat is not mandatory for them.
"Every year we ask students not to wear jeans and short tops. There are anyway very few here who wear such outfits. But since they don't listen, we've brought in a dress code from this academic year," said B Seethalakshmi, Principal of the college that's run by the Muslim Educational Society.
She claimed to NDTV that the majority of students and their parents are supportive of the new dress code; no protests or petitions against the move have been reported from the college.
Women activists are divided in their response. "We must remember the cultural context. There was a time when women could not walk with their faces uncovered here. This order must be seen in context of evolving. And eventually, as people become more accepting, these orders will be rendered obsolete," said Sandhya SN, an activist.
But Advocate Renjitha from women's organisation Sakhi disagreed, "This is unacceptable. Uniforms are ok. They are for everybody. But a dress code, where select stuff can be worn and other choices are looked down upon is degenerative."
There is no response from the government yet.