Visva Bharati regrets dress code violation by student during Ambedkar Jayanti

Amid the controversy surrounding a student's alleged violation of the dress code during the birth anniversary celebration of BR Ambedkar at Visva Bharati University in Santiniketan, the central varsity on Monday issued a statement expressing regret over the incident and assured that such deviations will not occur in future.

The incident, which involved a student wearing shirt-trouser attire instead of the prescribed white robes at the function held in Lipika auditorium within the campus, prompted an apology from the officiating vicechancellor, Sanjoy Kumar Mallik.

The statement, issued in English, Bengali and Hindi, expressed deep regret and sought an apology for the deviation from the official dress code. While it is traditional white ethnic attire for men, it is a white saree with a red border for women.

"The vice-chancellor, in his officiating capacity, expresses his deep regret and seeks apology from all for an instance of deviation from the official dress code at a university event on April 14. It is hoped that organisers of these events will ensure that such deviation does not repeat in future," the statement said.

Traditionally, attendees of events such as Rabindra Jayanti, Poush Utsav, Barsha Mangal, and other university-organised functions within the campus are expected to adhere to the dress code of white ethnic attire.

Sudipta Bhattacharya, spokesperson for the Visva Bharati University Faculty Association, welcomed the response from the officiating VC, expressing the expectation that the dress code convention be upheld in future without exemptions for VIPs and VVIPs.