Patna, Aug. 13: Magadh Mahila College has announced a salwar-only dress diktat on campus days after Patna Women’s College did so. 

The institution, a constituent college of Patna University, issued a notice on Friday, barring girls from wearing jeans, leggings, skirts and dresses — anything but a salwar — from Tuesday. 

Till the notice, Magadh Mahila College students could wear jeans and T-shirts, tops, skirts, jeggings, palazzo pants and leggings of their own choice. The alleged trigger was college principal Asha Singh spotting a few first-year students wearing tops and hot pants — short shorts — on campus yesterday. 

When The Telegraph reported on August 9 (Tuesday) about Patna Women’s College uniform colour code, the newspaper also spoke to the Magadh Mahila College principal about rules at her institution.

At that time, she said: “We have not imposed any regulation against jeans... Students, however, have been asked not to wear outfits that show too much of skin. As long as students are modestly dressed, we have no objection.” 
After Friday’s incident, however, the college has asked students to wear salwar suits and the blazer with the logo emblazoned on it. The decision was taken after the authorities received complaints about first-year students coming to college in allegedly inappropriate dresses. 

“The student central society (the students’ cabinet) asked me to implement a strict dress code on the campus,” Singh said today. “During a round of the college yesterday, I saw a group of girls wearing inappropriate dresses. I asked them to call their parents and I strictly told them that their wards would be rusticated if they ever came to college in such kind of dresses again.”

When The Telegraph asked how were the students’ dresses inappropriate, she said the girls were wearing hot pants and sleeveless tops. 

One of the student central society members, Ayushi, said: “Many students wear tops with vulgar captions, graphics and suggestive texts to college.It is important to impose a dress code in college.”

Several students have called the decision medieval.

A science fresher said: “The college needs to learn to respect choices made by women as to what they want to wear. I did not opt for Patna Women’s College because of all its rules and regulations, and chose this college but it’s the same story here too.” 

The rules set by the college will come in force from August 16. Any student caught wearing anything else but a salwar and the college blazer will have to pay Rs 1,000 and their name will be registered in the college indiscipline book. If they are caught again, they would be rusticated.

Principal Singh said: “Around 80 per cent of the students come from the lower section of society. They will divert from their goals and indulge in wrongdoings if they see girls in vulgar and short dresses. There are male teachers and employees in our college and if something happens who would be responsible. Being the head of the college, I am responsible for discipline.”