Some refuse to buy the idea

AGRA : The Taj city cherishes a ‘knowledge centre’ at a prestigious engineering college here in name of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam but his suggestion to wear traditional dress at the convocation in place of black robe has drawn a mixed response.

Dr Manoj Rawat, principal of Agra College, the premier degree college of Agra welcoms the idea given by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and even suggests ‘Uttariya’ (stole). “The black robe reflects continuation of British legacy and we welcome the idea suggested by the former President,” says Dr Rawat.

But Pranav Sharma, a student of Anand Engineering College, feels that there are ‘etiquettes’ associated with every occasion. “Why are judges and lawyers in a particular dress while working in courts?” he questioned.

“A convocation is a formal occasion and black robe is associated with generations passing out from universities and thus this formal dress adds to ‘grace’ and for certain occasions, appearance does matter a lot. Unfortunately, I beg to differ from the man whom I respect so much,” says Pranav. Head of the department of Hindi in St John’s College here, Dr Madhurima Sharma, says, “In India, controversies erupt at the fall of a hat and digressing from the traditional format of a convocation might open up another controversy.”