Bengaluru: A college dress code became the unlikely trigger for a student protest in the city Monday, after a group of students of Indian Academy Degree College alleged they were asked to leave the campus for not wearing the prescribed uniform and for having beards.A group of students of the college, in Hennur Cross, alleged that the management asked them to come in uniform and be clean-shaven and get haircuts. When they refused, the authorities allegedly asked them to leave the campus. As the number of students sent off campus increased, they soon united and turned it into a demonstration.As the crowd began to build up on the main road, police also stepped in, fearing traffic disruption. “Monday afternoon, we received a message that some students had come to the road and were protesting. Worried they might block the road, we arrived at the spot. The issue was that many students were not wearing the regular uniform. They had beards, some untrimmed, some with cut lines. We had a discussion and asked them to wear uniform and come dressed decently,” said a police officer.However, the college denied that the students were asked to shave off their beards. “The issue was with dress code compliance. Monday is a uniform day when students have to wear a blazer, tie and shirt. Many of them did not come in uniform. The teachers asked them to go change and come. With this, the students went out and formed a crowd. Police also came in and asked the students to follow the college rules,” said principal Bharathi. “We have told them (students) to be well-groomed. We have a dress code which insists on a proper haircut and well-trimmed beard,” she added.Some students took to social media to express their resentment. “Students wanted a simple explanation. Why are these rules compulsory? Why should students have no choice regarding their appearance? And why weren’t students’ concerns heard properly? Students were sent outside the college gate and made to stand on the main road while the situation continued. This raised an even bigger question: why were students protesting about college rules being pushed outside instead of being heard inside?” read one social media post. “Students raising genuine concerns should not automatically be treated as troublemakers. A college is not just a place where students follow instructions. It is a place where students learn to think, question, discuss and speak up.”
