Protests over the dress code mandated in December for SNDT University’s students are set to continue next week, says State-wide student organisation Vidyarthi Bharti’s president, Vijeta Bhonkar.
In December, a circular was released at SNDT University’s Churchgate campus instructing students to stop dressing in an “improper manner” and to maintain a “formal dress code.” Erring students, the circular stated, would be “punished.”
After a protest against this was held by students on Friday, members of the Vidyarthi Bharti met with the management including SNDT Vice-Chancellor Shashikala Wanjari.
The faculty maintains its support to a dress code. In a letter issued to the media last week, Ms. Wanjari said the dress code was not an assault on students’ rights. “By common sense, we all know what is decent and formal in the context of.. academic institution premises,” Ms. Wanjari stated in the letter.
The Vice-Chancellor and other faculty members at the SNDT have promised to get back to the students’ demands over the next three or four days, failing which they would continue to strike, said Ms. Bhonkar.
‘Backward move’
“What defines decent or normal clothing for women,” asks Ms. Bhonkar. “Rules specifically stating how women should and should not dress are extremely backward. Can the faculty guarantee that even if students comply, they will not be harrassed?”
