NIT Calicut curbs boy-girl meets, backtracks

Kochi: The warden of Ladies Hostel at National Institute of Technology Calicut stirred a controversy by issuing a notice (Warning Notice) restricting boys and girls from mingling inside residential campus.

“If any girl is found along with a boy student inside residential campus, severe action will be taken against her including suspension and expulsion from hostel”(sic). After protests from various corners, the college authorities took down the notice on Wednesday evening.

The notice issued on November 22 said, “Inmates of the Ladies Hostel and Mega Ladies Hostel are strictly instructed not to roam with boy students inside residential campus. We get lot of complaints in this regard”. The notice drew the ire of students and they registered their protest. Many took to social media while the Students Affairs Council revealed their anxiety to the college authorities. Students pointed out to the discrimination and asked why there is no action against the boy who was caught with the girl.

Kozhikode district Collector Prasanth N. criticised the notice put up by the authorities on his personal Facebook account. “Pathetic! Hope better sense prevails and that we won’t have to discipline those who enforce 'discipline' this way,” the Collector wrote.

A member of the Students Affairs Council said, “We held discussions with the students as well as the teachers. The notice was put up after a recent incident inside the residential campus. Few members of the faculty complained that a few students are disturbing the tranquility inside the campus.”

The Students Affairs Council in its Facebook post said, “The notice imposing restrictions on students' movement in the residential campus has been taken down. As soon as the issue came to the notice of the SAC, it was taken up to the chief warden and the concerned authority. The issue was addressed urgently and the authorities have been asked to release a statement regarding the same.”

Even after repeated attempts the college authorities refused to comment on the issue. Sources close to the teachers claimed that the chief warden was not aware of the incident and they will look into it.

There are two hostels, Ladies Hostel with four blocks and Mega Hostel (Ladies), in NIT Calicut to accommodate girl students. These hostels are located within the residential area of the campus.