Gender bias in hostel rules is regressive

The thinking that women need to be monit-ored more smacks of patriarchy. Such an attitude can be a hurdle in young women students leading dignified, full lives.

“Girl students have constitutional rights, perhaps even more than boys. Discriminatory restrictions cannot be imposed on them like this. Hostels are not prisons.” With this powerful statement, the Kerala high court last week directed all state medical colleges to implement the government’s directive on relaxing curfew hours and cut-off times for women students at night. The comment, by justice Devan Ramachandran, came when the court was hearing a plea filed by women students of the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital against a notification that barred women from stepping out of the college hostel after 9.30pm. In their petition, the students pointed out that the notification was not applicable to the men in the hostel. The court pulled up the government, which later relaxed the curfew hours for all women students in state-run medical colleges.

Safety cannot become synonymous with gendered control. (HT PHOTO)

Unfortunately, this is a problem not only in Kerala but across the country. Regressive attitudes around gender and safety permeate decision-making even at some of the most prestigious educational institutions in the country (similar protests across Delhi University roiled the national Capital six years ago when women students said discriminatory hostel curfew timings were hindering their lives). It is welcome that the court’s progressive intervention spurred a quick resolution, but more needs to be done to change mindsets.

Undoubtedly, the safety and security of students – of all genders – lies with the educational institution where they are enrolled, especially if they are also in residence. Hence, some reasonable restrictions on the movement of young people can be imposed; but such guidelines cannot be discriminatory or arbitrary, especially on gender lines. The thinking that women need to be monitored more, or their movement tracked more closely, smacks of patriarchy, and has no place in an educational institution. Such an attitude hinders their growth, development and can be a hurdle to young women students leading dignified, full lives. Safety cannot become synonymous with gendered control. To make the point, the court observed, “Lock up men, because they create trouble. Let ladies walk free.”