A debate on the necessity of a dress code in colleges will always have a fair mix of for and against thanks to the mix of modernity with long-standing traditions. While some feel giving freedom to students in the choice of their attire might see the ‘lakshman-rekha’ being crossed, we find few colleges giving leeway to its students. Here is a look at what some colleges in the city have to say.
“I know students don’t like to be restricted, but once they leave college and get into the corporate world they will see the need for a dress code in college. In most companies they have to wear formals and it will be good if they get used to it in college,” said Muthusamy, principal association of Coimbatore.
“Restricting youngsters from things makes them want to do it. At department meetings and on special occasions the students are asked to wear uniform, but otherwise they are allowed to wear jeans, provided it’s decent. The sense of responsibility cannot be imposed, it has to come from within,” said the principal of a city college seeking anonymity.
“I think it’s good to implement dress codes in colleges, especially co-educational ones. Not all are broad minded and not all look at us the same way, it’s our responsibility to look after ourselves and the basic thing is how we dress,” says Akshaya Bhat, a second year M A Economics student of PSG College of Arts and Science.
Nida, a final year student of Nirmala College, says, “We can’t dress like oldies to college. Once you enter college you’re mature enough to judge what’s right and wrong. Wearing jeans and T-shirts doesn’t mean you’re bad. Only in college can you wear what you want, at work you are forced to wear formals,”
A C Prabhu, a faculty from the Visual Communication department, Hindustan College, said, “A certain freedom is given to students, we are not asking them to wear uniforms every day. We are not asking them to cover up from head to toe either; they can dress as they want provided it’s decent.”
“College is a place where students come to study, it’s our duty to teach them how to dress and how to maintain discipline,” said Santha, principal, Dr G R Damodaran College of Science.
“We are fine with lab uniforms, but having to wear a uniform every day is too much. We feel we are studying in school,” said Sandeep, a third year student of a city college.
“People judge us by the way we dress. Hence, dress codes in colleges are a must. We should never give a chance for others to comment on our dressing,” says Sulochana, a mother of two daughters.