A plea has been filed in the Kerala High Court by 33 female engineering students of Mar Athanasius College, Kothamangalam, opposing the imposition of a hostel entry deadline of 6:30 PM for female students.
A single bench of Justice Basant Balaji has scheduled the case for Friday, alongside other related cases.
The petitioners contend that setting the hostel entry time at 6:30 PM exclusively for female students is both discriminatory and beyond the college’s jurisdiction. They point out that in 2019, the State Government issued an Order mandating a 6:30 PM entry time for ladies’ hostels in all colleges under Kerala’s universities. Additionally, the Government directed that library, laboratories, workshops, research centers, and sports facilities should remain accessible until 9:30 PM, enabling unrestricted use by all students.
The petitioners argue that the college’s decision to fix the hostel entry time at 6:30 PM for female students, coupled with the threat of expulsion for tardiness, violates this Government Order. They note that the benefits of this Order were withheld from male students, as the college set the entry time for the boys’ hostel at 9:00 PM.
Highlighting their representation to the State Government, the petitioners reveal that the latter subsequently extended the hostel entry time for students of Aided Engineering Colleges to 9:30 PM.
The petitioners assert that the college’s actions are unjust, arbitrary, and beyond its jurisdiction. They emphasize that the college must obtain recognition from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and affiliation from the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University. As such, the college must adhere to the mandatory infrastructure standards for recognition and affiliation. Any directives issued by the State Government or the Directorate of Technical Education pertaining to hostel maintenance and conduct would also be binding on the college.
Consequently, the petitioners contend that the college’s blatant violation of Government Orders contravenes Article 14 of the Constitution, resulting in gender discrimination.
“The college cannot impose such restrictions under the guise of maintaining discipline within its premises, thereby impinging upon the students’ freedom to move in and out of the campus,” states the plea.
The petitioners seek a court order instructing the college to adjust the hostel entry timings to 9:30 PM.
