Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Force versus persuasion

This refers to the editorial "Beware of what you wear!" (Sept. 17). Anna University's move banning the use of mobile phones and imposing a dress code that proscribes jeans, T-shirts, sleeveless tops, and tight-fitting clothes is medieval in nature. Nothing can be accomplished by force. If the authorities indeed felt compelled to do something about what they thought was indecent exposure by students, they could have used persuasive tactics and convinced them that apparel oft proclaims the man (and woman).

As for the crass methods such as fining students for talking to members of the opposite sex adopted by some colleges in the name of discipline, they will only yield opposite results. Students are known to rebel against force.

K.G. Chethan,
Belthangady, Karnataka

The Anna University's attitude will only increase human rights violations in unaided, private colleges. Diktats such as imposition of a dress code strike at the very roots of freedom.

M. Vathapureeswaran,
Erode, T.N.

Colleges and universities should begin acting as service providers, and nothing more. They need to understand that students are customers who pay for a service. The job of educational institutions is to provide quality higher education, and not to do moral policing. For long, colleges have acted without accountability. College administrations are notoriously unresponsive to student concerns about hostel maintenance. Rarely is feedback solicited on teachers' performance, from the student point of view. These areas should cause more concern to the authorities than the clothes students wear.

Ramiah Ariya,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Any rule that is imposed from above is bound to be resisted. Anna University's dress code is very harsh and too sudden. The highhanded manner in which it was imposed without a debate or an effort to impress upon the students its merits is unfortunate. The move should have been preceded by discussions involving students. Knowing the present generation, it would not have been very difficult to arrive at some consensus. The university would have done better to evolve some broad guidelines, instead of imposing a code.

K.S. Jayaraman,
Chennai

The fault lies in the absence of democratic functioning of educational institutions. If only Anna University's Vice-Chancellor had sought to associate the students in decision-making, such a controversy could have been avoided.

S.S. Rajagopalan,
Chennai

The editorial on the imposition of dress code and ban on mobile phones was disproportionate in its criticism. Universities are not picnic spots. A good ambience is necessary for a healthy exchange of ideas between teachers and students. And if some dresses are seen as spoiling the ambience, the authorities have a right to proscribe them. Freedom and discipline are not necessarily contradictory. A ban on mobile phones will ensure that there is no unhealthy competition among students to possess the latest model.

Pankaj Kumar,
New Delhi

The editorial reads like a fatwa. Modernisation when misused should be curbed. There can be no place for cultural hijack by some in the name of creating a progressive environment.

R. Megala,
Thirukalukundram, T.N.

A certain amount of discipline is necessary to enable educational institutions to carry out their assigned task effectively. Students wearing jeans, T-shirts, sleeveless tops, and tight-fitting outfits distract those who are serious about their studies. The criticism of Anna University's decision is tantamount to encouraging student indiscipline.

E. Sivasankaran,
Troutdale, Oregon

A dress code is meant for the security of girls themselves. But I do agree that in some colleges things are taken too far. While banning cell phones during class hours makes sense, banning them altogether is ridiculous. Students, who are past 18 when they enter college, should be trusted to act in a responsible manner.

Deepti Roy,
Chennai

Freedom of expression no doubt includes freedom of dress. But of late it has been misused by students. While the editorial's argument for restricted use of cell phones merits attention, there should be no second thoughts on the dress code.

S. Kannan,
Chennai

The dress code was long overdue. I do not understand why women's organisations are opposed to it. Tight clothes are neither suited for Chennai's climate nor are they particularly healthy. From the social point of view, they distract those who come to college for serious study.

Senthil Kumar,
Chennai

Is freedom to dress in the way one pleases synonymous with a liberal and progressive modern educational environment? Technological development is no doubt very useful to the community. But that does not mean the use of gadgets should not be limited. Using mobile phones is prohibited in some places. Why not in classrooms? I agree that bizarre methods like fining students for interacting with students of the opposite sex is condemnable. But comparing the imposition of a dress code in colleges with a fatwa is unwarranted. We should have the moderation to reject the purdah and tight-fitting clothes at the same time.

V. Pandy,
Tuticorin, T.N.

As one who passed out of a well-known, self-financing engineering college, I know the plight of the students. What is the purpose of co-education if students are fined for talking with members of the opposite sex? It is a popular management notion that parents want it that way. Agreed, Chennai is conservative. But that certainly does not mean parents approve of paying a fine for a conversation their son had with a classmate who happened to be a girl.

Ramaratnam Narayanaswamy,
Melbourne

Just because a professional educational institution implores its students to wear formal attire, it cannot be accused of being narrow-minded and illiberal.

Mani M. Manivannan,
Milpitas, California

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