Bhopal: Female students of MANIT protest over dress code, hostel timings

Female students of Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT) situated here in the state capital on Friday raised slogans and staged a protest over dress code and hostel timings.

The protesting students alleged that the institute authorities have stipulated 9.30 p.m. as the deadline for them to enter the hostel, while there is no such restriction on boys.

"We are not allowed inside hostel post 9:30 p.m. We have college from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., we go for coaching directly from there. Coaching class ends late, we get so tired. We are forced to sleep in lobby area if we don't make it by 9:30 p.m. However, the same rule is not same for boys," a student named Harsha told ANI.

The issue came to fore when female hostellers were directed that they must return to the hostel daily by 9.30 p.m.

Any girl student coming after 9.30 pm will have to remain at the waiting lobby area of the girls' hostel, the notice dated June 28, stated.

In the same notice, the administration of the institute had also asked girls not to wear shorts and skirts on the campus. However, the decision was later dropped after protests by the students.

"Dress code should be according to our comfort. Why should we listen to others? Why shouldn't we wear shorts? This is 21st century," another student named Shivangi told ANI.

The female students also dared the college authorities to take action against them by sitting on dharna inside the campus wearing shorts.