After providing menstrual leave for girl students, the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) has moved a step further towards gender justice by offering students of the School of Engineering the choice of wearing gender-neutral uniforms.
The students now have the twin option of wearing either shirts and pants or churidars. Till now, boys had to wear shirts and pants and girls churidars.
The dress code for girls was light green ‘kurti’, grey pants, and a grey overcoat. For boys, it was a light green shirt and grey pants.
The new dress code will come into force from June 1. However, the colour code remains unchanged.
It was following a representation by Namitha George, chairperson of the Cusat students’ union, that the university took the decision. The council meeting of the School of Engineering had also passed a resolution seeking to introduce a gender-neutral uniform, noted the order issued by the university.
“The gender-neutral uniform prescribed by the university is equally applicable to all students of the School of Engineering, and it doesn’t make any difference between boys, girls, or those belonging to the transgender community,” said Ms. George.
The gender-neutral uniform is expected to be introduced in a few departments of the university that had listed separate dress codes for boys and girls, said Ms. George.
The decision will be applicable to nearly 2,400 students of B.Tech (regular) course, said Dipak Kumar Sahoo, Principal, School of Engineering.
Incidentally, the university had set the tone for allowing menstrual leave for girl students in all colleges in the State through its decision to allow 2% relaxation in attendance for girls.
