St Francis College Repeals Dress Code After Protests

Following a protest by hundreds of students of St Francis College at Begumpet on Monday for mandating that they wear kurtis stretching to below-knee level, the college administration decided to withdraw its rule.

The college has been implementing the rule from August 1, with students being warned of suspension if they violated it. The students said that the college management had for the last two days been turning back students who were wearing kurtis ending above their knees. Videos surfaced on Friday showing the college staff scanning the girls and only the ones adhering to the rule being allowed entry into the campus. Eyewitnesses said that even students wearing burqas were asked by male watchmen to pull them up and show their kurti lengths to be allowed entry into the college.

Angered over the restrictions, the students started a protest against the decision. On Monday, when the students were protesting in front of the college shouting slogans against the rule and blocking the entrance to the college, the Punjagutta police intervened to bring the situation under control.

Later, talks between the student representatives and the college authorities resulted in the college management agreeing to withdraw the rule.