Fatima Mata National College students protest against gender discrimination

KOLLAM: The students of Fatima Mata National College here  started an indefinite protest on Monday against “gender discrimination” and “regulations” on dress code imposed by the  management. They  boycotted the classes and  laid a siege on the  principal's office  raising their demands. They alleged that  the girl students were not allowed to wear leggings on the campus. “The management has also ordered them to wear shawls along with other dress worn by the girl students. They  are also not permitted to interact with the opposite gender and were assigned special areas  to sit during leisure time,” they said.

There are separate sections for girls and boys in libraries, canteen  and classrooms. The girls are also not permitted to stay  on the front side of the college. The college levies huge fees for internal examinations. “After the college was  declared as  autonomous, the management imposed extra fees and fines to  increase its revenue,” the students alleged. Principal Dr. Vincent B. Netto  maintained that no new regulations had  been imposed on the students  and that the present rules were prevalent for several years. These can be reviewed only after consulting the management, he said.