To keep eve-teasing at bay, four Kanpur girls’ degree colleges have banned students from wearing jeans, tight tops, sleeveless blouse, high heels and tight-fitting clothes in the campus. The students have also been instructed not to carry cellphones.

The colleges which imposed the ban are Acharya Narendra Deo College, Dayananad Girls Degree College, Sen Balika College and Johari Devi Degree College.

“The move will certainly deter eve-teasers. Often girls wearing tight clothes and jeans are on the target of eve-teasers. It is our duty to take precautionary measures,” said Meeta Jamal, Principal of DG College. The staff members have also been instructed to minimise the use of mobile phone in the campus. Though students flouting the rules will be let off after a reprimand, teachers will have to pay a fine of Rs 100. “Only if there is an emergency, staff members will be permitted to use their mobile,” she said. Even teachers should wear decent clothes, she added.

“It is the joint responsibility of parents and the colleges to ensure safety of girls. Hence, the move was initiated,” said Umakanti Tiwari, Acharya Na-rendra Deo College principal.

The decision has received a mix response from the students. Shefali Gupta, a student of DG College, welcomed the decision. “The college is not meant for fashion parade. Therefore, I strongly favour the decision,” she said.

Razia Akhtar, another student, said girls do not require cellphones in colleges. “Parents are well aware about our class timings and there is no reason why students should bring mobile phones to the college,” she said. Akhtar advocated similar measures to be taken in boys’ colleges too.

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