Wear ‘decent’ clothes: MP Univ V-C tells NIFT girls

The Vice-Chancellor of Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University, Tariq Zafar, has advised the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to issue a directive to its women students to wear “decent” clothes. NIFT rents its premises on the campus of Bhoj Open University.

“In the name of modern or Western clothes, students can’t be allowed to come in clothes which do not look good in classes on the university campus. There are students of Bhoj University as well as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hindi University on the campus,” said Zafar. 

Asked for his definition of “decent” and “indecent” clothes, the V-C replied: “I am not objecting to anyone’s clothes. I am also not asking for any dress code. It is a suggestion keeping in mind other students who feel odd because of some students dressing up indecently.” 

About “indecent” wear, the NIFT director said: “We have fashion technology students. They were taking their exams and making presentations before the jury — for which the students might have come in different attire. I can’t comment any further.”

In the same letter, addressed to the NIFT director, Zafar has asked him to be strict about smoking on campus. “Being an educational campus, it is a no-smoking zone. I have asked the director to take proper action in this regard,” Zafar said.

NIFT has issued instructions to their students to desist from smoking on campus. “I do not know whom Mr V-C has seen smoking on the campus. However, he has raised a concern, so I have issued instructions to students that smoking is prohibited and no one should indulge in it,” said NIFT director U S Tolia.

A NIFT student who did not wish to be named said: “There is no meaning in making such a suggestion unless there is a clear definition of what is ‘indecent’. We are fashion technology students and I don’t think we will come to college wearing indecent clothes.”