Colleges and educational institutions cannot force women lecturers to wear saris, said Kerala Higher Education Minister Dr R Bindu. On Friday, she said that the practice of imposing a sari on teachers is not conducive to Kerala's progressive attitude. Bindu added that one's choice of dressing is an entirely personal matter and no one has the right to criticise or interfere in another's sartorial choices.
The Higher Education Department on Friday issued a circular in this regard after complaints came from many teachers that several institutions in the state continue to practice such attire policing. This was after a young lecturer had complained about a government college asking her to not wear a salwar kameez. Though the young lecturer had all the necessary qualifications, the staff apparently put forward a condition that she had to wear a sari to work every day if she wanted to work there.
"The government has already made clear its stance in this regard multiple times. Teachers have every right to dress as per their comfort in Kerala regardless of the kind of institutes they work at. This practice of imposing sari on our teachers is not conducive to Kerala's progressive attitude," Bindu said in a statement. The minister, who was a professor at the Kerala Varma College in Thrissur, said she used to wear churidars regularly.
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"While a teacher has several responsibilities, adhering to such outdated and obsolete ideas is not one of them. One's choice of dressing is an entirely personal matter. No one has the right to criticise or interfere in another's sartorial choices," she said. The minister pointed out that though the government had already issued a circular on May 9, 2014, clarifying this, it has become clear that several institutions in the state continue such practices. "Hence, the Higher Education Department is issuing another circular to this effect," she said.