THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A circular issued by authorities of Government Medical College here, banning clothing such as jeans and leggings in the campus, has kicked up a row. Vice Principal Dr K Girijakumari, who issued the circular on Thursday, said the dress code was being imposed in the wake of complaints from patients and bystanders.
While the circular was meant to address a set of rules regarding the MBBS course, attendance and final internal marks, the bottom of the circular carried a Do’s and Don’ts list for both ladies and gents regarding a formal dress code.
The boys have been directed to maintain a ‘neat and clean dress and appearance with formal dress and shoes’, but the girls have been specifically directed to wear Indian formals like ‘churidaar or saree’ and that their hair must be ‘put up’, says a report.
The circular states that clothing such as leggings, jeans and also jewellery that “make noise” are not allowed inside the campus and that they should also not wear “short tops and chappals”.
A section of students have decried the move calling it an infringement of their personal rights. Principal Dr Thomas Mathew said that though a dress code was already in place as per Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines, it was not properly followed. He said the code of ethics also called for a dress code to be followed.
Although the MCI guidelines specify a dress code as a means infection control, communication and cultural sensitivity while examining patients, it does not get into specifics.
Instead of questioning the dress code of any particular gender, MCI guidelines also specifies the following—Please ensure that you have a chaperone with you when examining a patient of the opposite sex.
It is also to be noted that in July 2016, the Central government strictly banned the imposition of “discriminatory rules” against women students, like dress code, on the pretext of their safety in higher educational institutions.
Curiously, the principal’s explanation for a dress code was that it would help in the proper identification of doctors and prevent impostors and other unscrupulous elements from entering the campus!
A few months ago, the Hindu College–affiliated to the Delhi University–imposed a dress code for women students by asking them to wear clothes as per the “normal norm of society” in common areas of the campus. Similarly, in 2012 a college in Harayana had imposed the system of Rs 100 fine if female students turned up in jeans and T-shirts for classes. The college cited eve-teasing as the reason — asking the would-be victims to take precaution, rather than addressing would-be perpetrators and getting them to change.
Female students have complained in the past about the difficulties in managing themselves in sarees and dupattas amidst exams or practical sessions. In light of the same, the stand taken by this medical institute in Kerala raises questions about how such dress codes would help students of a particular gender to be better at what they do.