KOLKATA: Authorities at AJC Bose College have asked first-year students to sign an affidavit, declaring they will not wear torn or artificially torn jeans to college.
"Having been admitted to Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose College, I will never enter inside college premises wearing torn/artificially torn jeans or any kind of indecent dresses.
I do hereby affirm that I shall wear normal civil dresses during my study period inside the entire college premises," reads the affidavit, which has revived the debate over the definition of "indecent dresses" and "normal civil dresses".Even last year, this institute had issued a similar notice, asking students and staff not to wear "torn or artificially torn jeans" as it was "indecent".Principal of AJC Bose College Purna Chandra Maity claimed the move was to enforce strict discipline at an educational institute.
"In spite of issuing a notice last year, some students still wear torn jeans to college.
So we decided to make the first-years sign the affidavit to enforce a strict discipline.
Students will be directed to the payment link for admission only after they sign the affidavit.
Parents, too, need to sign the form," he said.
"Torn clothes do not fit the decorum of an educational institute.
Students must follow the rules of the college and know how to dress appropriately to a formal institute." The diktat has elicited myriad reactions.
Visibly rattled, a third-year student of the college said, "The college teaches us about freedom of expression but takes steps that curb personal choice.
If education is properly imparted, students are responsible enough to judge what to wear and what not to at an institute." But another third-year student did not find the decision problematic as many colleges had a dress code.An alumnus of AJC Bose College, Pritthwish Das, who now teaches at a college, however, said, "I do not support the college's move as torn jeans is not an indecent attire that cannot be worn at an institute."Presidency University emeritus professor of sociology Prasanta Ray said, "These compulsory changes on students in urban settings cannot be an established practice.
It can spark negative reactions from students." Assistant professor of sociology at Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata, Supurna Banerjee" called the diktat "scary." "As young adults in a democratic country, they should be allowed to wear what they want.
This is curbing personal freedom through an apparent protectionism," she said.