Mount Carmel College students protest anti-student policies

BENGALURU: Students of Mount Carmel College (MCC) have launched a social media campaign against the college administration, accusing it of enforcing unfair dress code guidelines, restricting their movement on campus, and scrapping student body elections. Posts under the banner of Collective Bangalore, a student-youth group, outlined these concerns. From the very first day of this academic year, the college has introduced anti-student policies. Though we are in higher education, we are being treated like schoolchildren, one student wrote. At the gates, security personnel allegedly ask them to raise their hands to check if their tops rise above the waist. Several claimed that female students are being targeted more often. Some said they were even sent back home from the gates despite travelling long distances to reach campus on time. The rules are vague and unclear. This gives room for moral policing and leaves students embarrassed in public, the protest statement read. They further alleged that once students enter college in the morning, they are not allowed to leave until classes are over. We are forced to eat inside the campus even when the food quality is poor. Earlier, we could raise such complaints through the student body. But now, with elections being cancelled, we have no platform to raise issues, another student said. Students also pointed out that guards now demand to see timetables at the gate and allow students to leave only if they have no more classes for the day. With a strict attendance policy already in place, this has made life on campus feel like school, a student said. The college management dismissed the allegations. Reacting to the protest, Principal George Lekha said, The dress code is already mentioned in the college calendar and explained to students and parents during orientation. We are not imposing a very strict code like some other institutions. Within the freedom given, we only expect appropriate dressing. I dont understand why students are offended.