‘Proper haircut & clothes:’ Odisha college enforces strict norms to 'foster discipline'

A directive issued by the Panchayat Samiti College under Balisankara block in Sundargarh district has sparked widespread discussion across the region. 

As per the new guidelines, students must wear a proper uniform and have a neat haircut. They should be disciplined and attentive in their study. Any student failing to comply with these norms will not be allowed entry into the college premises.

The directive, issued under the leadership of Principal Kulamani Sahu, aims to instill discipline and maintain an academic atmosphere within the campus. The order emphasizes a neat appearance and focused approach to academics, urging students to remain disciplined both in dress and demeanour.

Established in 1998, the college currently houses 512 students in the Arts stream and also includes a hostel with 100 beds. Situated near the Odisha-Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand border, Panchayat Samiti College has been a beacon of higher education for local students for the past 27 years.

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The dress code initiative, intended to bring structure among students, has been developed in consultation with the management committee and teaching staff. The college authorities believe this move will curb the growing indiscipline observed during the transition period from school to college life.

While the order has stirred some debate, the administration stands firm, considering it a necessary step for fostering a disciplined and academic environment on campus.

"We have been convening committee and guardians' meetings and trying to make the students disciplined. Proper haircut and dressing are part of the discipline process. We are conducting prayer sessions and reform classes in the morning hours. We are also making the students aware of the use and misuse of mobile phones. We are trying our best to make them disciplined. I consider the students as my own children. No parents will want their children to be indisciplined. Discipline is very much needed in life. Without discipline, nobody will be successful in life. We have started an effort to make the students disciplined," said Kulamani Sahu, Principal of the college.