Punjabi University girls barred from wearing shorts to hostel mess

Warden of university’s Shergill Hostel Richa Sharma said the decision was taken for the safety of girls.

Is this the age of ban? Ask girl students of Punjabi University, Patiala, who are bearing the brunt of the latest “diktat” that bars them from wearing shorts when they go to the hostel mess.

The notice pasted by the authorities in the girl hostels saying that any student coming to the mess in shorts would be fined. (HT Photo)

The authorities have pasted a notice in the girl hostels saying that any student coming to the mess in shorts would be fined. The move comes close on the heels of a similar ban imposed at university’s Bhai Khan Singh Nabha Library for both boys and girls.

Warden of university’s Shergill Hostel Richa Sharma said the ban was imposed in some areas, especially in the hostel mess. The decision was taken for the safety of girls.

Amrit Pal Kaur, dean students’ welfare (girls), however, differs. “No, a hostel warden cannot take independent decision and cannot determine what girls should wear,” she said, adding “girls should have the freedom to wear clothes of their choice.”

Dean students’ welfare Tara Singh said he was not aware of any ban on the campus, neither in the library nor the mess. “If such thing has happened, it is unfortunate,” he said.

Opposing the ban, Jasman, a student of LLM, said: “They (authorities) want to enforce their ideology on students. If boys can go to the mess wearing shorts, why can’t we?” she questioned.

Tarang Preet Kaur, who is pursuing MA in the university, said: “I appreciate the ban imposed in the library, but the mess diktat is weird.”