It’s Da VC’s code -- By Sanket ‘decoder’ Kambli

It’s not a typological error. Get ready to be disappointed as I am not dealing with the Da Vinci book.
The VC of our university had declared that a dress code for students should be instituted from the new academic session. But soon he backtracked, blaming the media of manipulating his words.
Read the wholesale remarks that I have collected.
Khole had said that ‘modest’ attire would reduce sexual harassment and prevent rapes. His statement was a reaction to the recent rape of a student on Marine Drive and came in the wake of protests against Virendra Kumar, vice-principal of Delhi University’s Kirori Mal College, who suggested that Northeast students should wear salwar-kameez to prevent rape. Kumar also later claimed the media had misquoted him.
PP Kulkarni, vice-principal of Ruparel College feels instilling equality as the reason for this remark by the VC. He argues, “At Ruparel, the students are middle class and don’t wear designer dresses.”
Others, like lawyer and activist Flavia Agnes, read Khole differently. “It’s a resurrection of the ‘good woman’, ‘bad woman’ theme. A ‘good woman’ deserves respect, while a ‘bad woman’ doesn’t,” says Agnes.
“Instead of teaching men not to harass women these diktats tell them that some women can be raped.”
Curbing self-expression by hardening control isn’t an uncommon theme in Indian universities. Many colleges like to keep their students on a tight leash as they were in school, particularly during their first year. Several city colleges do have guidelines for attire, but none call for ‘modest’ or more specifically Indian clothing. St Xavier’s College requests students to abstain from short skirts and sleeveless dresses; RD National College doesn’t, because its Principal S. Anand believes “a dress code undermines a person’s self-respect. We don’t allow clothes that are revealing as they can attract unwarranted attention on the campus.”
Most harmful is the extent to which such pronouncements absolve the rapist from his crime. Last year, after a rape on its campus, Pune’s Symbiosis group of institutes advocated a dress code for the same reason, allegedly to protect its women students. According to Nandita Shah of NGO Akshara, “Such statements discount the responsibility of the rapist, making the victim complicit in the crime. It even happens in courts, to make believe that particular clothing serves as enticement, which is completely untrue.”
While Mumbai University may not have a dress code after all, psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty says students must be ‘inspired’ to dress appropriately for the appropriate occasion. “Where education stops the law starts,” says Shetty. “Students shouldn’t be ordered, but they should be part of a dialogue, in which they learn that clothing must reflect the culture of the place they are in,” he adds.
These dress code plans have angered some principals and university members who said that dressing down of students can be left to parents and colleges should focus on academics and careers of students.
Senate member Tushar Jagtap said, "The Maharashtra Universities Act does not empower the university to tell colleges what students should wear in campuses." Though Khole plans to meet college principals next month, the issue of dress code is not on the agenda.
Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr AD Sawant said, "The VC had expressed his desire that students should wear decent clothes in college. It is not a prescribed dress code. The kind of restriction is left for colleges to decide."
A group of students belonging to Chatra Bharati Student's Organisation took out a morcha to Khole'e residence in Kalina campus on Thursday night to protest against the VC's dressing down of students. Khole's residence had to be turned into a fortress with cops guarding the bungalow.
A number of city colleges already have dress codes imposed on students. A few years back St Xavier’s had disallowed students from wearing short skirts, shorts, capris, spaghetti tops and red color clothes. Students had protested against then Principal Joe Dias who imposed the dressing rules.
St Andrews College also disallows boys and girls from wearing capris, shorts and tight fitting tops in campuses. Even caps, goggles and mobile phones are banned.
Authorities at St Andrew’s College say that certain rules regarding clothes have been followed in the college for a decade now and they have set stricter standards today. Principal AD Masceranhas says, “We don’t allow three-fourths, caps and suggestive prints on T-shirts.”
The college authorities say parents of the students who are found wearing ‘objectionable’ clothes are summoned to the college. Says Anand, “We talk to parents and make them understand that certain things may create problems in the college.
In colleges like St Andrew’s students can be expelled for committing the mistake of wearing ‘objectionable’ clothes thrice. Principal says that no such incidence has taken place. Dr Zaidi of Rizvi College says, “We call parents and ask them to give us in writing that such incidents will not be repeated. None of the parents have taken objection to it.”
MMK College too has a dress code and revealing clothes are a strict no-no. Dr Bhutani Chandra, principal of MMK College, says, “We implemented this dress code two years ago. We had come across 20-30 cases of objectionable dressing last year. But we don’t punish the students. Instead we counsel them.”
"Referring to the Marine Drive incident and asking students to dress up well was in bad taste. University cannot impose a dress code on students, it can only recommend to colleges, that have a final say," said a management council member.
St Andrews principal AD Mascarenhas said, "When we implemented the dress code 10 years ago we were criticized and ridiculed. We have been quite successful. The idea is to have a decent and dignified atmosphere in the college.''