Students of St Xavier?s College sport a formal and ?decent? look after the dress code is implemented on the college campus. Picture by Ashok Karan

Ranchi, Sept. 1: After being granted autonomy, St Xavier?s College is now out to teach its students a few lessons on ?decent? dressing.

The college has implemented a new dress code for both boys and the girls, which promises to introduce decent dressing among students on the campus.

The new dress diktat puts a bar on girls wearing sleeveless tops and round-necked T-shirts. Wearing jeans is permissible only if their sizes are regular and not tight-fitting. Tops, on the other hand, should be plain and devoid of any graffiti.

A dress code is also in place for the boys, who have been barred from wearing chappals or sandals in college. Only shoes are allowed on the college premises. Neither will they be allowed to sport any bracelets or pendants and they have to be attired in a regular pair of jeans or trousers.

According to college administration, a dress code is the best way to ensure discipline among the students. As college principal Nicholas Tete said: ?We were contemplating the implementation of a specific dress code among the students for quite sometime. With the students attending the college in wild outfits, we had to act fast. We hope that the new dress code will improve the situation.?

?I don?t think the students will feel claustrophobic with the decision. The authorities are aware that they need some independence during their college years. But there should be a limit to it. Nowadays, students, especially the girls, have thrown decency to the wind,? Tete added.

According to the teachers, wildly displaying their freedom of expressions on the T-shirts pose the biggest problem to decent dressing. ?The students come to college with indecent and provocative quotations on their T-shirts,? a professor of the college said.

Tete added that students not obeying the code will be asked to go back. ?Some teacher will be keeping an eye on them and students flouting the code will be immediately sent back.?

The students, however, had a mixed reaction. Preeti Mishra, a student of English literature, said: ?I don?t think that the discipline of the college could be affected just by wearing clothes of one?s choice. But then we have little choice.?

Rohit Kumar Singh, a commerce student firmly favoured a dress code. He said: ?Decency on the campus is a must. In fact, many students dress rather indecently. The college is one of best institutions in the state and its standard has to be maintained.?