Banaras Hindu University (BHU) enjoys a reputation as one of the most prestigious universities in the country. And looking back to the marginalised section of society where I come from, it is really a privilege to be here. I came here with lots of dreams and aspirations. But I was shocked by the rampant sexism on campus.

Girls are locked up in their hostels by 8 pm, while the boys hostels do not have any such rules. We were often advised not to move out of the hostel if we were truly concerned about our security. Sexual harassment or worse was seen as the price of freedom. I am sorry, I do not wish to be molested or raped by choice.But neither does the administration provide basic security inside campus.

Alarmingly, girls are made to sign an affidavit every year at the time of admission, agreeing never to participate in any kind of protest against the university administration. And regardless of diet, the only food allowed is vegetarian despite requests. According to the administration it is against Malaviya’s ideology (BHU was established in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya).

Affidavit that girls are made to sign agreeing never to participate in any kind of protest against university administration

When we demanded equal access to the library, the BHU Vice Chancellor, Girish Chand Tripathi, stated that “the late night studies of girls are immoral,”. We even lack equality in basic infrastructure like internet accessibility and LAN connection in hostels. Also, there is imposition of sexist dress code as we are advised about how short or long our dress should be. If we wear short clothes, we are told that is why boys molest us.

On an average, the girls here, when they are sent out into the world with a degree in their hand have neither have subject knowledge nor socio-cultural awareness. They will just be a type-those that accept the morality that patriarchy expects them to bear, imparted by an orthodox administration.

Education cannot just be what you learn inside the four walls of a classroom. Education is also knowing the city and going out to art galleries, meeting various people, being independent, exploring the books in library or even a walk.

This policing mentality is deeply prejudiced and leads to alternative forms of violence and subjugation. “Rape crisis” needs to be understood through a larger aperture. This is in part, requires examining the attitudes that produce a climate on campus that can enables sexual violence and sexually abusive relationships. These include societal views that shift the cause of rape on clothing, attitude, the hour of the day or even lifestyle. What does it say about those who espouse such views? Would they seriously rape or condone the rape of a woman who does not comply with their criteria of appropriate social, sexual and gendered behaviour?

After much patience under the administration, we approached the media which indeed was a great help, yet we suffered a lot of backlash for asking for our rights. The VC refused to have either a negotiation or exercise flexibility with the existing rules.

I was left with no choice and forced to write to the National Commission for Women (NCW) seeking their intervention on the prevailing sexist rules in BHU. I can’t see them just as disciplinary rules–this is clear cut sexism in education.The university has been taking away our constitutional right including the right for equality and freedom of expression.

Also, there has been a gross violation of UGC norms. The SAKSHAM guidelines by UGC (2013) (Measures of Ensuring the Safety of Women and Programmes for Gender Sensitization on Campuses) categorically identifies the problems of protectionism and recommends the following- “While ensuring safety and access to a non-discriminatory or Sexual Harassment free environment, campus safety policies should not result in securitization, over monitoring or policing or curtailing the freedom of movement, specially for women,”

The provision of safety for women on campuses must eschew the practice or tendency to be overly prescriptive to women by restricting their freedom of movement. There has to be concern over the safety of all women, but this no way justifies the imposition of discriminatory rules in women’s hostels. These kind of attitudes to women’s safety in hostels often infantilizes the adult women and does not empower them to strategize about their own safety. Most importantly, the focus needs to be shifted to ensuring a safe environment around the hostel and campus. All the sexist rules and practices exist in BHU in the name of ensuring safety and security for women. Ironically, there is no active Internal Complaints Committee to address complaints of sexual harassment by women students. The rampant sexism in campus makes it clear that women students are treated as less than equal part of the University whose mobility needs to be restricted.

UGC gazette has not been implemented in the university to end the rampant violation of rights for women students. We urge material support from each and every person who is reading this article, from those who have studied here and from those who will.