MUMBAI: A day after protests erupted outside Chembur’s N G Acharya and D K Marathe College for turning away burqa-clad students after a mandatory uniform policy for its junior college came into force on August 1, the institute’s management has now decided to allow students to enter the campus with their burqas and hijabs and take them off in the washroom. The uniform policy will be strictly imposed from August 8, when all students should be in their uniform on campus, including classrooms, said the management.

Burqa-clad girls said they were not stopped at the gate on Thursday. “We were not against wearing the uniform. The college has understood our concerns and allowed us to change in the washroom,” said a student.
The college introduced uniforms for class 11 and 12 students from June 15. The new uniform is a cream kurta, blue salwar and vest for girls and cream shirt and blue trousers for boys. While class 11 students are yet to start college, those in class 12 — who wore informal clothes last year — began wearing the uniform.

The suggestion to have uniforms came from teachers and was approved by the governing council and the parents were informed in May. From June 15, students were counselled and announcements were made through the centralised mike system and on WhatsApp groups. Each student was given two uniform sets at a cost of Rs 2,400.