‘Western/short clothes strictly forbidden’: Odisha varsity dress code for fest
VSSUT vice-chancellor professor Bansidhar Majhi said the main objective is to promote Indian dresses during the events “to showcase our culture”
Authorities of a technological university in Sambalpur district of Odisha in Burla have asked students not to wear western clothes and short dresses during an upcoming university festival and threatened to send back home those who flout the decree.

The Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT) in Burla said “western/vulgar/short dresses are strictly forbidden inside the University campus during the ‘Techno-Cultural Fest 2024’ festival”.
“Entry will be prohibited if students are found wearing short clothes, half pants and miniskirts during the event. Students who do not wear ethnic outfits during the event will be sent back from the main gate and will not be allowed to attend the function,” the order signed by the registrar stated.
Students have been instructed to wear Indian traditional/ authentic dresses for the event.
VSSUT vice-chancellor professor Bansidhar Majhi said the main objective is to promote Indian dresses during the events “to showcase our culture”.
“We have asked all boys and girls students to wear traditional clothes by which we can add value to the cultural fest. Earlier, during our convocation, we had also asked the students to wear traditional attire. The National Education Policy also states to include and promote culture and the annual event is a big event where we can promote it,” he said.
In 2018, the Rajasthan government had come up with a dress code for students, asking them to wear salwar kameez or sarees on college premises instead of western outfits. It, however, was revoked after receiving a lot of flak from students.
ABOUT THE AUTHORDebabrata MohantyDebabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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