Thiruvananthapuram: The dress code at the Government Medical College here once again becomes a talking point, as the college students’ union plans to organise a debate on it. Two years ago, the college authorities had issued a circular banning the use of leggings, t-shirts, short tops and jeans, stirring up some resistance from the students’ union and much discussion.
One of the issues raised by the union then was that the authorities unilaterally issued the circular without any discussion with students. Though many faculty members do not insist on students following it, it has become an issue, now and then, confirms sources.
Recently it was brought back to focus when a faculty member asked a female student to “dress properly”, as the latter had not worn a dupatta. Interestingly, ‘dupatta’ is not even mentioned in the controversial circular.
In another case, a male student was reportedly admonished for leaving the top shirt button open. Student dress codes should not challenge an individual’s autonomy, says Dr Veena J. S., a PG student who had undertaken a discussion on dress codes on social media.
“Some of the conditions in the circular-like wearing shoes during clinical sessions to protect the feet from spillage makes sense. But, what a student wears to the non-clinical class should not be grounds for punishment,” she says.
There has been an ambiguity regarding what constitutes ‘propriety’ in dress code. But dress code should not be devised based on cultural factors, says the college’s student union staff advisor Dr Santhosh Kumar S. S.
“The decision should be driven by science, and it is time we relooked at the accepted practices. Take the white overcoat for example. Many hospitals in western countries have done away with it, as the full-sleeve coat would carry microbes from one patient to the other. Doctors there wear half-sleeve shirts, instead,” he says. It is for clarity that the college union decided to take that up as their debate topic.
“Opinions connected with dress code can be highly diverse. Students and faculty members will have a lot to say about it. A democratic discussion is important so that we can come up with an ideal dress code,” says the student union chairman Mohammed Mighdad.
