Ban on selfies, combing hair: DCW issues notice to Miranda House

DCW on Friday issued a notice to the principal of Miranda House over a circular issued by the college imposing a ban on taking selfies and combing hair in its corridors.

The DCW issued the notice after students of School of Open Learning (SOL), Delhi University and few students of Miranda House, approached DCW in context to the misogynistic circular issued by the college banning taking of selfies and combing hair in the college corridors.

Meanwhile, the college authorities had earlier claimed it was aimed at ensuring safety of students and they later clarified that the notice was only suggestive and won't be imposed.

Lately, SOL students under Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) protested against the anti-women rules formed by the college to disturb women students.

"We have received a representation from students alleging that discriminatory practices are being adopted by the college and such a misogynistic circular has been issued. We have asked for a point-wise reply from the college on the students' complaints within seven days," DCW chief Swati Maliwal said.

KYS in its memorandum to the DCW stated that the rules have harsh consequences on the students. The ID cards of the students who want to enter the college premises are being taken away and students who refuse to hand over their ID cards to the college staff are turned away.

"SOL women students behave as if they come to shoot modelling portfolios," said a senior functionary of Miranda House.

"The women students do not listen to the instructions imparted and generally tend to run away when accosted by the staff about their supposedly unserious and unacademic ways," the functionary added. The memorandum also mentioned that the women students are yelled at by guards and other staff members on a regular basis and are being insulted in every class. The complaint also stated that deliberate attempts by the college administration to bar women students from unprivileged and deprived backgrounds from pursuing higher studies are made, while women of affluent sections are encouraged to pursue their dreams.

Also, attempts to create shortage of space in classrooms and decrease quality of teaching is accompanied by not allowing women students to sit in the college lawns or wait in the corridors until the next class.

Students have sought assistance from the DCW and demanded a written apology from the college administration and want it to stop the discrimination immediately.