Every place of learning imposes certain rules on it students. Generally speaking, universities offer their students more freedom than schools, mainly because they are attended by adults who are about to enter practical life and are expected to find original solutions to contemporary challenges.

It seems the administrators in various public and private universities have different ideas about how their students are to be groomed. Because instead of providing students to make their own life decisions and learn from their mistakes, these administrators believe in regimenting their students' lives as much as possible.

Thus, like many other educational institutes in Pakistan, another leading university, FAST-NU, has set a proper dress code for all students and particularly for female students.

Like many other universities, FAST-NU has issued a dress code, according to the dress code set by the regulatory authorities, female students are not allowed to wear western attire including, short shirts, tights and fitted jeans and sleeveless shirts/kameez. Moreover, the students have also been told not to wear a lot of make-up or excessive jewellery when on premises and in class. The action was called upon the need to avoid pro-activeness and indecency which the staff had been monitoring for quite a while. And any violation of the subjected policies will result in penalizing the student girls with fine, suspension or even both.

According to Fast-NU dress code, students are expected to dress keeping in view the local cultural values and norms. The dress should not have any script or image, which appears to be indecent or provocative. Dress should not be see-through. Wearing shorts or sleeveless shirts is not allowed. Females should not wear short length shirts. They should avoid wearing too much makeup and jewellery.

Calling upon such immediate notices and strong codes of ethics, there seems to be no harm in decent dressing; in fact the authorities plan for an institute focused more towards an educational surrounding than that of a media industry. There is no doubt that the policy may also erupt double standards and to some extent ‘gender discrimination’ wearing clothes that are not comfortable to a girl and she is compelled to cover herself up from head to toe because her outfit is considered as a risk and distracting to the boys in her class. Here is a question then Why are boys allowed to wear shorts to play football or other sports in the university’s premises but girls to wear dupatta no matter what? Why aren’t boys told to “pull their pants up” while girls have to follow rules.

The dress code is not a problem, it never is. It’s actually the lack of education in our society which we have to teach our youngsters about it. A girl must know what she should wear to look decent without spoiling institution rules. On the other hand, a boy must also know how should he behave good with girls no matter what she is wearing. So instead of punishing girls for what they wear, teach boys how to respect them.

However, if the rules apply for the sake of decency and respect for women at large, then all universities should implement such dress codes for both males and females that will benefit all students greatly without any gender bias.