DU’s St. Stephen’s College Bans Shorts On Campus, New Dress Code Sparks Student Protest | Education and Career News
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According to the notice issued by St. Stephen’s College, students will not be allowed to wear shorts in several important campus spaces, including classrooms, and assembly hall.
St. Stephen’s College’s existing rules already state that students should dress decently while on campus. (File Photo)
With the start of the new academic session at Delhi University’s prestigious St. Stephen’s College, a controversy has emerged over the college’s dress code. The administration has officially prohibited students from wearing shorts in several key areas of the campus. In response, many students deliberately arrived on the first day of the new session wearing shorts as a mark of protest.
According to the notice issued by the college, students will not be allowed to wear shorts in several important campus spaces, including classrooms, the assembly hall, the library, the dining hall, and the college chapel. The notice instructs all junior members to strictly follow the dress code and is signed by the college’s new principal, Susan Elias. However, many students claim that the rule is being enforced not only on junior members but also on senior students.
Students expressed their opposition to the dress code in a distinctive manner. While students argue that the move amounts to moral policing and interferes with their personal choice, while teachers maintain that the restriction has existed informally for years and has only now been put into writing.
On the opening day of the new semester, many of the students arrived on campus wearing shorts, arguing that clothing is a matter of personal freedom and that such restrictions are unnecessary. Describing the move as moral policing, they said the college should not decide what students can or cannot wear, reported Times of India.
Several students also pointed out that the rule disproportionately affects members of the college’s sports teams. Athletes who attend morning practice sessions often visit the dining hall or other campus facilities in their official sports kit. However, they have reportedly been denied entry to the mess simply because they were wearing shorts. Students argue that the rule is impractical for those involved in sports activities.
Although St. Stephen’s College’s existing rules already state that students should dress decently while on campus, none of the earlier guidelines explicitly prohibited wearing shorts. This is why many students see the latest notice as a stricter and more formal step.
Amid the ongoing protests, several students claimed that teachers have informally assured them the rule will not be enforced strictly for the time being. However, the college administration has not issued any official clarification on the matter.
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