JD Women’s College in Patna on Saturday withdrew an order banning burqa in the campus after facing backlash for the decision. Earlier in the day, the college had imposed a dress code on the campus which had said that students will not be allowed to wear the burqa in the college premises. In a notice signed by the college proctor and principal, students had been asked to comply with the new dress code.

The college administration also imposed a fine of 250 rupees in case anyone is found violating the dress rules.

The notice reads: “All students have to come to college in the prescribed dress code, every day except on Saturday. Students are prohibited from wearing ‘burqa’ in the campus and classrooms. A fine of Rs 250 will be imposed for the violation of the prescribed dress code”.

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After Students staged a protest against this ban, the college administration backed out its decision of imposing a dress code amounting to a burqa ban inside college premises.

Dr. Shyama Rai, Principal said, “The college has withdrawn its statement regarding burqa in its recent direction on dress code for students in the college”.

Dr. Shyama Rai, Principal, JD Women’s College, Patna: The college has withdrawn its statement regarding ‘burqa’ in its recent direction on dress code for students in the college. #Bihar https://t.co/UCJlrmk3Jp — ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2020

“We have prohibited the use of mobile phones in college. We have facilitated a particular zone for mobile usage. There is no blanket ban on wearing a burqa in the college premises but students could remove burqa in classrooms if they want. Our only motive is that there is the discipline in the college”, Rekha Mishra, a teacher of the college told ANI.

The college said that although the ban on burqa has been lifted, the students will still have to come in uniforms and will be fined if they violate the dress code. “The students have to come in the prescribed dress code. If they do not come in the prescribed dress code then a fine of Rs250 will be slapped on them”, Dr Ashok Kumar Yadav, Head of Department of Sanskrit and Examination controller of JD women’s college said.

The college replaced the earlier notice with new notices enforcing dress code and restricting mobile phone use. The notice says that students will not be allowed to enter the college if they don’t come in prescribed uniforms, and bans use of mobile phones in the college campus. Mobile phones are allowed only in the zero zone, which is the temple premises and the common room. Rs 500 will be fined if anyone is found using phone outside the allowed zone.