Gujarat high court judge asks IIT-Gandhinagar student to leave courtroom over attire

AHMEDABAD: A Gujarat high court judge on Monday asked an Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar (IIT-Gn) student to leave the courtroom over what the court considered was improper attire, while hearing her petition challenging a semester-long suspension for alleged indiscipline.

She was wearing jeans and a shirt for the hearing on her plea against the suspension imposed by the institute over alleged rude behaviour with staff and use of language considered threatening. In its suspension order, IIT-Gn described her conduct as "unbecoming of an IIT-Gn student".

When the student's counsel sought to defend her attire, Justice Nizar Desai said, "Everyone has a choice and can exercise it, but it depends upon the place which she is visiting… This is for the first time in my life, but at the same time, if someone is coming to the court, he or she must be in proper attire."

After the hearing concluded, the judge told her counsel, "I am sorry, but I consider this (court) a temple of justice and people must maintain its dignity." The senior lawyer urged the court to overlook the issue, saying, "The attire of the petitioner must and cannot affect the court's discretion."

The student, in the final semester of an MA in social development, argued through her counsel that the suspension stemmed from an exchange with an accounts officer over what she considered inadequate grant support for fieldwork and the way she communicated her protest.

Her lawyer said the institute's view of her behaviour had also been influenced by an earlier incident in which she was removed from the hostel for allegedly staying in the boys' hostel. Since then, she has been living off campus, the petition said.

Seeking the high court's intervention to enable her to complete the course, the student's counsel also said an apology would be submitted to the institute, which had maintained that her earlier apology did not reflect remorse.

After the hearing, the high court issued notice to IIT-Gn and said, "Notice, returnable on April 29, 2026… Over and above the normal mode of service/physical service, direct service, through email, is permitted, today." The matter is scheduled for further hearing on Wednesday.


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