I wrote this post on 7th June, 2015 and wanted to post it on my college blog, but my seniors told me it wasn't a good idea. I could get in unnecessary trouble for it.
Three years back when I got into SIMS I felt myself luckiest for being at a right place. It had nearly everything I dreamed of in a medical institution. A bunch of societies arranging extra circular activities, talented seniors and a healthy interaction. This ambiance helped neutralising frustration inflicted by anatomy department every week in the form of substage. The whole time, we spent in college, had something happening going on. I even remember a small celebration of valentine day in the cafe and a vigorous minute to win it session for charity purposes. In short life was fun and I used to feel proud that SIMS had a flavour which other medical colleges lacked. It was a place where creativity was appreciated and diversity was cherished. But in last two years, we have seen a paradigm shift. Some radical platforms have also entered into the scene and I feel students are getting one dimensional in their views, but let's leave it for some other day.
The reason I'm writing this piece is a recent incident where our vice principle took a strict action on a dress code of female students. Apparently, all other departments have requested her to do something about unreasonable attire practised by female students because when they get into the hospital, people pass obnoxious comments. She lectured students and next day, actually debarred those who were wearing tights or jeans and that too with a long shirt because apparently jeans and tights are no more allowed. Is it only me or your jaw has also dropped on the floor? Yeah, it happened in a professional institute and a uniform might be introduced constituting loose shalwar and long shirts. Until now, this menace is limited to junior classes only but who knows it may be a beginning. Now, my point is what kind of unreasonable attire are they worried about because frankly I have never seen anyone wearing a mini-skirt here. Plus calling students in office and castigating them if they are not Muslims, is outright intrusive. What if someone is from any other religion? This is a professional institute for gods sake and people here are no Montessori kids. Majority females wear hijab or dupatta, yes, the majority does and even if someone doesn't, it is not on authorities to enforce them.
Everyone has a right to dress up the way they want. If authorities want to make sure proper dress code, it should be limited to our white coats. Make them mandatory, enforce students to wear them, debar them on this behalf but making them cry for slits in their shirts is not something we deem rational. Putting pupils in right direction is part of pedagogy, and guiding them towards a proper dress code is not an issue, but what does it prove when there are no instructions for male students on dress code notice plastered in the college? The tragic part is students think all that happened was justified, but god knows on what logical grounds. People might not agree with my opinion so whatever floats their boats but I, for one, don't think female students need to be whipped into modest dressing because they are already careful about it. Teach us ethics and put us in the right direction but keep a neutral environment because it was once the essence of SIMS. Last year some students were fined in NUST for wearing jeans and we saw an outrage in social media, portraying it as talibanisation of institute. I don't expect such outrage, but at least people need to understand it is unacceptable. Tolerating dissent and appreciating diversity is what we need to promote here, but such incidents do nothing more than stripping the institute from its versatility. Period.
Three years back when I got into SIMS I felt myself luckiest for being at a right place. It had nearly everything I dreamed of in a medical institution. A bunch of societies arranging extra circular activities, talented seniors and a healthy interaction. This ambiance helped neutralising frustration inflicted by anatomy department every week in the form of substage. The whole time, we spent in college, had something happening going on. I even remember a small celebration of valentine day in the cafe and a vigorous minute to win it session for charity purposes. In short life was fun and I used to feel proud that SIMS had a flavour which other medical colleges lacked. It was a place where creativity was appreciated and diversity was cherished. But in last two years, we have seen a paradigm shift. Some radical platforms have also entered into the scene and I feel students are getting one dimensional in their views, but let's leave it for some other day.
The reason I'm writing this piece is a recent incident where our vice principle took a strict action on a dress code of female students. Apparently, all other departments have requested her to do something about unreasonable attire practised by female students because when they get into the hospital, people pass obnoxious comments. She lectured students and next day, actually debarred those who were wearing tights or jeans and that too with a long shirt because apparently jeans and tights are no more allowed. Is it only me or your jaw has also dropped on the floor? Yeah, it happened in a professional institute and a uniform might be introduced constituting loose shalwar and long shirts. Until now, this menace is limited to junior classes only but who knows it may be a beginning. Now, my point is what kind of unreasonable attire are they worried about because frankly I have never seen anyone wearing a mini-skirt here. Plus calling students in office and castigating them if they are not Muslims, is outright intrusive. What if someone is from any other religion? This is a professional institute for gods sake and people here are no Montessori kids. Majority females wear hijab or dupatta, yes, the majority does and even if someone doesn't, it is not on authorities to enforce them.
Everyone has a right to dress up the way they want. If authorities want to make sure proper dress code, it should be limited to our white coats. Make them mandatory, enforce students to wear them, debar them on this behalf but making them cry for slits in their shirts is not something we deem rational. Putting pupils in right direction is part of pedagogy, and guiding them towards a proper dress code is not an issue, but what does it prove when there are no instructions for male students on dress code notice plastered in the college? The tragic part is students think all that happened was justified, but god knows on what logical grounds. People might not agree with my opinion so whatever floats their boats but I, for one, don't think female students need to be whipped into modest dressing because they are already careful about it. Teach us ethics and put us in the right direction but keep a neutral environment because it was once the essence of SIMS. Last year some students were fined in NUST for wearing jeans and we saw an outrage in social media, portraying it as talibanisation of institute. I don't expect such outrage, but at least people need to understand it is unacceptable. Tolerating dissent and appreciating diversity is what we need to promote here, but such incidents do nothing more than stripping the institute from its versatility. Period.
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