Odisha’s Oldest Engineering College Implements Student Dress Code

Rapid Summary

• Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Odisha, has introduced uniforms for its new first-year students in the academic session 2025-26.
• Boys are required to wear navy blue pants and sky blue shirts, while girls must wear navy-colored shalwar and waistcoat with a sky-colored shirt. Dupattas (long scarves) have been banned for girls citing safety reasons.
• The Vice-Chancellor stated that dupattas could pose life-threatening risks in engineering disciplines due to moving parts during practical work, and waistcoats have been prescribed as dignified alternatives.
• The uniform’s colors where selected after research on neutrality, secularism, durability, and practicality.Faculty members unanimously agreed on the design.
• The university aims to instill discipline among students and ensure easy identification of outsiders through the enforcement of a dress code.
• Senior students can opt out of wearing uniforms currently; however,it will be mandatory for all students in future phases.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The implementation of a uniform dress code by VSSUT marks an administrative shift intended to address multiple objectives: student safety during engineering activities involving machinery and enhancing discipline within campus life. While banning dupattas aligns with practical safety concerns highlighted by the Vice-Chancellor, replacing them with waistcoats seeks to maintain dignity in attire without compromising security.

This initiative signals growing institutional efforts at standardizing student behavior while addressing logistical challenges like identifying outsiders within university premises. however, making this system gradually mandatory may warrant careful engagement with cultural adherence among older cohorts unaccustomed to such regulations. Balancing safety concerns without infringing personal expression remains a delicate matter requiring appropriate feedback mechanisms as policies expand.

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