Skip to main content

Of dress codes and colleges

When I was at school, I had earnestly wished that I join college as early as possible. No, it was not that my school was taxing or anything, but it was purely for the sartorial freedom that those institutions offered me. But now, a host of colleges are busy drafting rules to enforce dress code among their students.
It started with a few autonomous colleges in North India and it has even extended down south to our very own Anna University. And now, even some government-aided institutions in Orissa, about 500 and odd, have introduced a uniform dress code for its students.
All this enforcement, after those boys and girls had worn school uniforms for more than 12 years in a row. Just when they want to get out of their school uniforms, come the colleges with another set of dress code. Is it right or wrong?
No, I am no judge to decide on whether the rule is politically correct or not. However, I feel that all this enactment only because a few students, especially girls, in the last 2-3 years, had gone overboard about their sartorial liberation and dressed, or should I say undressed, a little too much. The callous attitude of a handful of girls had resulted in the curbing of freedom of whole lot of students.
Uniforms, in general, and the basic principle behind them, is quite noble. It was enforced in schools mainly to avoid the display of differences in the economic status of the pupils which might result in any kind of discrimination both among students and teachers.
However, when you complete your higher and senior secondary levels of schooling, each mind is supposed to have matured enough to understand that one should not judge people based on their attires.
But again, when a bunch of dunces have disproved the same, and had used the freedom to show off not just their clothes but also their bodies, its time for the college officials to take some punitive steps.

Comments

Tulaja said…
Do we really need uniforms in schools and colleges, especially in the rural areas, when buying books and notebooks is becoming a challenge for families? I am sure there is a better way to spend that money for education.

Popular posts from this blog

Hair now, gone tomorrow!

  Today, my husband was pleasantly surprised when he called out from the bathroom for a shampoo bottle. Normally, this would prompt a tirade about his laziness, followed by my hurried hand off of our regular brand of shampoo. But today, I handed him expensive bottles of shampoo and conditioner with a smile, saying, “With love.” Though puzzled, he was happy to indulge in the fancy products. I quietly slipped away before he realised they were the result of one of my hair care experiments gone wrong. Since moving into our new home, my obsession with hair care has reached new heights. Hair loss is such a rampant problem in my community that it’s probably the only topic people don’t argue about in our WhatsApp group. In a desperate attempt to save what’s left of my hair, I’ve tried everything: onion shampoo, rice water conditioner, WoW serum, Adivasi hair oil—you name it, I’ve tried it! Adding insult to injury, my mother delights in reminding me, “You used to have such thick hair I ...

Enough, Just as You Are

“Hey, you’ve put on weight since the last time we met!” This isn’t an uncommon greeting from one of my friends. Trust me, he doesn’t mean to hurt—but somehow, he always does. He’s not a mean guy; in fact, he’s one of those friends I can call in the middle of the night for help. But that’s just his way of talking—not just with me, but with everyone. I’ve tried explaining to him that this sort of comment is body shaming and that it’s neither kind nor funny. But he just waves me off, insisting it’s all harmless fun. The truth? He’s far from alone. Comments like these are ingrained in our everyday conversations, especially among women. Often, they come from people who claim to mean well. Think about it—how many times have you heard a relative or a friend casually drop a remark like, “Your dress seems tighter. Gained weight, huh?” For me, it’s my aunt. She never fails to greet me with, “Enna nalla sappadare pole irukke?!” (Translation: “You seem to be eating well!” ) I know she do...

Thirukkural: Short verses, long forgotten

Thirukkural —this two-line wonder—has been an integral part of our lives in various forms since childhood. Yet, I hadn't picked up that small book in a long time, except when my husband asked for the meaning of a Kural quoted by a politician in a speech or recited by finance ministers during Budget presentations. (I’ve always wondered why quoting Thirukkural has become a ritual, even for finance ministers with no connection to Tamil Nadu!) That aside, my interest in this seven-word marvel was recently rekindled by The Times of India initiative, where famous personalities share their favorite Thirukkural . As I listened to their experiences, I was surprised at how many Kurals I could recall effortlessly, despite never having consciously studied them. In school, I was a Sanskrit and Hindi student, so my Tamil lessons never came from textbooks. Yet, my love for Tamil never faded—thanks to my father. He always had a Kural ready for every situation, and perhaps that’s how I pick...