Students filed writ in High Court and staged Protest against regressive rules in Kerala Varma College Ladies Hostel.

Anjitha K Jose is a third year student at the prestigious Sree Kerala Varma college in Kerala’s Thrissur district.

The student has approached the Kerala High Court with a writ petition alleging that the college – known to be one of the historical and cultural landmarks of the state – was in fact stifling her fundamental rights.

Anjitha has objected to rules set by hostels situated inside campus that heavily curtailed the freedom of girl students.

According to the hostel rules, girls need to rush to hostel immediately after class. The classes end at 3.30pm and the female students need to enter hostel by 4.30pm on all days, except Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays the hostel gate would close at 6pm. On Sundays and public holidays, students are not allowed to go outside. On Saturdays, the students are allowed to go out only between 3.30pm and 6pm.

 

Anjitha has told the HC that such a restriction was violative of a person’s fundamental right to form associations and freely speak and express oneself, protected under Article 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(c) of the Constitution of India.

She says that a few hostel authorities, mainly two matrons, would threaten students with expulsion if they raised their voices against them. “A few students, including me, complained to the college Principal seeking to lift the restrictions. But the Principal took the stand that it can’t be done. The argument was that it was not appropriate for an Arts and Science College to do away with restrictions,” the 20-year old said.

 

The time restrictions have ‘unduly restrained women within the campus under the pretense of safety issues. The ability to go for co-curricular, extra-curricular, or self-development activities, such as volunteering activities at NGOs, competitions not conducted by the college, classes for arts, etc., which may extend into the evening, is severely impaired,’ says the petition..

 

A collective of law students called the Legal Collective of Students Rights has helped Anjitha approach the High Court.

The college meanwhile has justified their restrictions. “Whatever measures we have taken are intended at ensuring the safety of the students. They were framed at a meeting with the parents in January last year, and had the acceptance of many of the parents.