Mysorean

Orissa has finally decided to enforce its “uniform dress code’’ in all colleges of the state, thereby becoming the first in the country to bar girls from wearing sleeveless tops, tight jeans and skimpy designer skirts in colleges.

About 500 government and state-funded colleges have been identified to introduce the dress code for students by February 2, 2006.

“There are 1,900 colleges in the state with an estimated strength of 2.5 lakh students,’’ said higher education minister Sameer Dey.

An official circular was issued to all government colleges on Monday, on the occasion of Teachers’ Day. The minister said a dress code would be put in place for the teachers as well.

“After the students, it will be the turn of the teachers. If teachers of Saraswati Sishu Mandir can dress in a uniform manner, why can’t those in other colleges do the same?’’ argues Dey.

The government began the dress code on an experimental basis in the city’s Rama Devi Women’s College on August 15, with a white and dark blue checked kameez and a white salwar and dupatta for girls.