JOIN USThe Department of Collegiate Education has withdrawn the circular on dress code for women lecturers in colleges, within 24 hours of issuing it.
M K Umanath, the Regional Joint Director of Collegiate Education, Mysuru, on Wednesday withdrew the July 4 circular that had asked principals of government and aided degree colleges to ensure that women lecturers wear only saris.
R Satish Kumar, a native of Kolar, had made a representation to Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy taking objection to women lecturers wearing chudidars, using mobile phones and seeing WhatsApp and Facebook notifications while in class.
Following the complaint, the minister asked the Commissioner for Collegiate Education, M N Ajay Nagabhushan, to direct the joint directors of all the regions to issue the circular. Umanath was the first to comply.
Nagabhushan told DH that instructions had been given for withdrawal of the circular.
Accordingly, Umanath withdrew the circular. “Following severe opposition from women teachers and based on oral instructions from the commissioner, we withdrew the circular on Wednesday. The commissioner has instructed all the regions — Bengaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Mangaluru, Shivamogga, Dharwad and Kalaburagi — to withdraw the circular,” he said.