Principal Agnelo Menezes has cited ‘security concerns’ due to troublemakers while imposing the rule, but the same won’t extend to girls from other colleges attending the annual fest.Women students of St Xavier’s College will not be allowed to wear shorts at its popular annual fest, Malhar, this year. The diktat comes from the college’s recently-appointed principal, Agnelo Menezes, who cited security concerns while imposing the no-shorts-on-campus rule for Malhar’s organising team as well as other female students.The Malhar organising team, consisting of 1,200 students including volunteers, was informed of the decision in a meeting with Menezes on August 4.St Xavier’s, a Jesuit-run institution, has always been strict about dress codes for students, who are not allowed to wear shorts in college on regular days. The previous principal, Father Frazer Mascarenhas, had made an exception for the three-day college fest except for those handling Malhar’s public relations cell.The rule, however, does not extend to students from other colleges who will be attending and participating in the fest on August 15-16.Students did not welcome the ban, calling it inconvenient. “Students who work on the logistics team, which handles venues, and the technical team which looks after light and sound arrangements put in physical labour for long hours. Sitting from 6 am till 8 pm in pants is very uncomfortable,” a student said.Astudent on the security team at the gate said pants were especially inconvenient during the rains. “It is unfair since such restrictions are not imposed on male students, but it is a rule now and we have to adhere to it,” an organiser said.Though Menezes was reluctant to comment, a senior college administration official confirmed the imposition of the new rule. “It is true that the principal held a meeting with the Malhar team earlier this month, during which he told them that shorts will not be allowed. There has been no such incident as such, but this move is taken as a precaution. Girls can wear pants of knee-length or longer,” he said.