Student organisations have called for the withdrawal of St. Stephen’s College’s new dress code, restricting shorts in several campus spaces, arguing that it places unnecessary limits on students’ autonomy and personal choice.
St. Stephen’s College has found itself at the centre of a fresh debate after introducing a revised dress code that restricts students from wearing shorts in several campus spaces. While it began as a simple notice, it has now quickly escalated into protests, reopening the old question of how far universities can go in enforcing decorum without crossing into regulating personal choice.
The notice was issued on 26 July and took effect with the new academic session on 28 July. It bars shorts in classrooms, the library, the dining hall, the assembly hall and the chapel, while also restating existing rules on cleanliness, compulsory identity cards and the college’s smoke-free policy.
Opposition came swiftly from student groups, who argued the restriction goes beyond campus standards and is, in fact, policing what adult students wear. The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) organised a protest after one student was reprimanded for wearing shorts on the first day. In solidarity, several others turned up on campus in shorts and called for the directive to be withdrawn.
Students say that the protest goes beyond the issue of shorts. It attempts to draw the line between institutional control and bodily autonomy. It questions whether educational institutions have the right to restrict students’ autonomous choices of fashion, comfort, and self-expression under the pretext of maintaining institutional decorum.
For SFI, the issue runs deeper than clothing. The organisation argues that universities should respect autonomy among adult students instead of imposing such controls, and that campus spaces should prioritise inclusion and student welfare over policing attire. St.Stephen’s College’s student handbook does mention that students have to be “decently dressed.” However, doesn’t explain what is and is not considered “decent” in the eyes of the institution.
While some defend the college’s right to set disciplinary standards, others see the move as an infringement on personal freedom and expression. As the protests continue, SFI has stuck to its demand that the notice be withdrawn.
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Image Source: St.Stephen’s College, University of Delhi
Ahana Dey
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