A circular issued by the Delhi University's Department of Social Work (DSW) asking students to wear "proper dress" in the hostel's common room has gone viral following which authorities said the direction was meant only for male students.
The notice was put on display in the department on April 27 and it went viral on social media as it came a week after IIT-Delhi asked residents of girls hostel to dress in "fully covered decent western dress or Indian dress" for their House Day.
The circular said, "Keeping in view that recent incidents in the hostel, all residents are hereby informed that the common room of the hostel shall remain open from 9.30 am to 10 pm everyday."
"All the students are advised to come to the common room in proper dress. Sleeping, eating, bullying or any other indecent behaviour is strictly prohibited in the common room," the circular said.
Disciplinary action would be taken against those who flout the rules, it added.
The head of the Social Work Department, Neera Agnimitra, said, "We just advised male students not to do anything that hurts the sensibility of women in the common room."
Agnimitra, who is also the provost of the hostel, said that a few female students had alleged that some male students in common room of the hostel were sleeping dressed in a manner which hurt their sensibilities, she said.
"Keeping in mind the problems faced by girls, the advisory was issued for male students, and not for female students," she said.
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