Darjeeling college students before the dress code came into force and (below) in traditional clothes

Darjeeling, Oct. 24: College students across the Darjeeling hills must continue to wear traditional clothes three days a week, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has ruled.

The new diktat is a modified version of the Morcha’s month-long “cultural movement”, under which everyone in the hills must wear traditional clothes outside home seven days a week. The movement ends on November 7.

“College students in traditional dress will not be able to drink or smoke as they would be easily identified. This would create a healthy atmosphere in educational institutes. We want them to wear traditional clothes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays,” Morcha president Bimal Gurung told a news conference.

He said a meeting would be held with college principals after Diwali.

Although most students, having just broken out of the shackles of school uniforms, were unhappy about losing their “freedom” all over again, few agreed to speak about it even under the cover of anonymity.

“We have just come out of school where we had to wear a uniform for 12 long years. Even if it is for three days a week, traditional dresses are like uniforms. We are mature and independent enough to choose the clothes we want to wear. Now that the announcement has been made, do we have much choice?” asked a first-year student.

Another college-goer said she did not mind wearing traditional clothes but attending classes in them would be difficult. Women have to wear a farayi, which is like a sari, over a choubandi choli (blouse). The men’s dress is called daura sulal.

“We are not really used to these clothes. Making us wear them on some special occasions would have suited us fine,” a student said.

There are few takers for the Morcha theory that the diktat would help create a healthy atmosphere in colleges.

“We do not want anyone to trample on our independence. Moreover, merely wearing a dress will not change a person’s habit or attitude,” said a student.