Kerala’s Calicut University makes anti-dowry bond must for admissions

Students applying for admission to Calicut University colleges will now be required to sign a statement stating that they would not offer, ask or accept dowry during their marriage. The varsity has already issued an edict to its associated institutions’ heads regarding the new mandatory regulation.

According to Calicut University Vice-Chancellor M K Jayaraj, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, who is also the chancellor of the state institutions recommended the action. Khan had previously requested university chancellors to put his suggestion of requiring students to sign a bond promising not to accept or give dowry before receiving their degrees into effect. The chancellor adopted this stance following a spate of dowry-related occurrences in the state recently, including the murder of 24-year-old Vismaya in the Kollam district. The varsity has asked that institutions acquire statements from students and their parents at the time of admissions.

Denoj Sebastian, director of the Directorate of Admissions at the varsity said: ‘The September 15 order instructs college heads to also obtain declarations from students who have already been admitted for the 2021-22 academic year. Signing the declarations is compulsory — like the anti-ragging declaration — at the time of admissions. The formats of the declarations have been sent to the college heads along with the order.’

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The university colleges began accepting applications for undergraduate courses in the first week of September. Meanwhile, varsity syndicate member K K Haneefa said the government should rigorously enforce regulations to protect women from being harassed and to abolish the dowry system. ‘There are several laws to protect women, The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 makes the practice of giving and taking dowry illegal. These laws should be enforced properly to end harassment against women and end the dowry system. The plan of the chancellor and vice-chancellor to obtain the declaration will help create awareness about this social evil,’ Haneefa said.