Hostels in India are popular for being patriarchal, regressive, and enforcing gendered rules. There are many rules enforced upon the men and women to stay in the hostels. But amid all this, IISER Mohali has very commendable hostels.
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali has recently taken a massive step toward progress. Recently, the university has banished the rule barring visitation from members of the opposite sex in hostels. The new rule is for their hostels for under-graduates, which allows different genders to visit same-sex genders. The university already has an equal number of hostels for all genders and mix-gender hostels.
The students from IISER and netizens have lauded this decision and have called it ‘progressive’ and a right move towards breaking gender inequalities in Indian hostels.
Also Read: Explained: CBSE to conduct exams in 2 terms; know the major changes in pattern and syllabus
Basra Das, a Biology student at IISER Mohali, tweeted, “Absolutely thrilled about @IiserMohali coming up with the progressive move of allowing entry into hostels (any) irrespective of gender. In days of other institutions cementing the idea of gender rules, this shines as a ray of hope for an inclusive tomorrow. #nogenderrules.”
She further thanked the Dean Students and the facility of the institute, she wrote, “Thank you Dean Students IISERM and to all faculties who pushed and worked towards the same for being the absolute coolest.”
While having a conversation with a youth website, YKA, Barsa said, “IISER Mohali has been the safest environment I have ever been to and I think a lot of students of our campus feel the same. From a student perspective, I feel this is a step in the right direction. Since school, there exists a huge divide between the two major genders due to the patriarchal idea of women being a distraction to men. This leads to a greater divide in among the same in adulthood and almost no understanding of basic things like harassment, menstruation, etc.”
“It’s due to these progressive decisions and faculties who stand by such decisions that we feel that way. Plus the student community on its own is a major reason for the same,” she added.
Also Read: When PETA called a Hindu wedding tradition ‘abusive & cruel’... See netizens’ reactions
One of the Twitter users wrote, “A very progressive step from @IiserMohali to scrap the wing system altogether. Hopefully, this will help the community to become more sensitised and empathetic. A welcome move. #NoBarrier #NoGenderRules.”
Yet another wrote, “Congrats to @IiserMohali in following @iiserkol towards removing gender visitation restrictions.”
And the third one wrote, “Mixed-gender hostels, equal hostel rules for all genders, and now removing restrictions on entry based on gender - IISER Mohali administration leading the way in gender-neutral undergrad campus.”