JNU Vice Chancellor Dr. Shantisree Dhulipudi Pandit asserted the right of students to wear the hijab, opposing institutional dress codes and advocating for freedom of choice in attire.
JNU Vice Chancellor Dr. Shantisree Dhulipudi Pandit asserted the right of students to wear the hijab, opposing institutional dress codes and advocating for freedom of choice in attire. (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Apr 26, 2024 17:28 IST
Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice Chancellor Dr. Shantisree Dhulipudi Pandit expressed her opinion on the freedom of students to wear the hijab if they choose. In an interview with PTI, Dr. Pandit expressed her disapproval of dress codes, noting the importance of personal autonomy in attire decisions. She stood firm on the belief that educational institutions should uphold individual freedoms.
"I am against a dress code. I think (educational) spaces should be open. If somebody wants to wear a hijab, it’s their choice and if somebody doesn’t want to wear it, they should not be forced," she told PTI.
"Food and clothing are matters of personal choice. I don't think institutions should make any rules on these. Individual choice should be respected." She added that in JNU, students wore both shorts and ethnic attire.
"This is a matter of their choice. As long as they don't force me to do it, I don't have a problem," she said.
She advocated for an environment of openness and respect for diverse expressions of identity within educational settings. According to her, whether to wear a hijab or not should solely be the decision of the individual student, free from external pressure or coercion.
While answering a question on the push for Hindi as a national language or a medium of instruction in teaching and learning, she spoke against uniformity in religion, race or language.
"...in India, uniformity doesn’t work in any form,” she said.
HISTORY OF THE HIJAB CONTROVERSY
The debate over hijabs is not new, with past incidents sparking controversy across educational institutions. In 2022, Karnataka witnessed a significant dispute when six female students were expelled from a government college for wearing the hijab.
This incident ignited a larger conversation about religious symbols and institutional dress codes, with political parties taking contrasting stances on the issue.
Beyond Karnataka, similar disputes have arisen in other parts of India, such as West Bengal and Gujarat. Muslim communities have advocated for the inclusion of the hijab in educational spaces, citing religious freedoms and cultural practices.
Conversely, tensions have also emerged, as evidenced by the incident in Bharuch, Gujarat, where a teacher's removal of hijabs during a board exam sparked public outcry and calls for accountability.
(With PTI inputs)
Published On:
Apr 26, 2024
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