The Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS), which made this statement before the High Court here during the hearing of a petition by female students of Kozhikode Medical College against movement restrictions on hostel inmates after 9.30 PM, said that seeking absolute freedom at the age of 18 “may not be appropriate and good for the society.”
In a submission to the High Court, Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) states that pursuing total independence before the age of 18 “may not be suitable and desirable for society.”
The institution has also argued that nightlife and sleepless nights are not intended for students.
The Left government informed the high court at the same time that it had issued an order on December 6 that significantly relaxes hostel hours, and Justice Devan Ramachandran ordered that it be “implemented forthwith”
The court noted that, “According to the (new) order, even though the gates of the hostels – both for boys and girls – are to close by 9.30 PM, it gives sufficient leeway to the students to enter it after that time, subject to certain bare minimum conditions, except for the first year students, who are yet to get used to the new environment and the locality.”
Additionally, it stated that the government directive was “a good step forward” on the surface.
Justice Ramachandran stated, “Therefore, I require the Principals and other authorities concerned of the medical institutions to comply in accordance with the aforesaid government decision with immediate effect.”
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Kerala Health University in its affidavit claims “age of maturity does not necessarily bring in brain maturization”
Contrarily, the university asserted in its affidavit that “age of maturity does not necessarily bring in brain maturation” and that there is scientific support for the idea that the adolescent brain is “structurally and functionally vulnerable to environmental stresses, risky behaviour, drug addiction, impaired driving, and unprotected sex.” “The prefrontal cortex of the brain is particularly necessary for sophisticated behavioural function, and the prefrontal cortex develops and matures to full maturity by the age of 25.”
As stated by the institution, “Given the aforementioned scientific facts, desiring unlimited freedom at attaining the age of 18 may not be suitable and good for the society.”
The university further contended that because the petitioners were medical students and their classes began at 8 AM each day, they needed enough sleep at the end of each day.
Nightlife and sleepless nights not intended for students, responsibility of the university to create rules that consider providing them with enough sleep
“Nightlife and sleepless nights are not intended for students, and it is the responsibility of the educational institution and the university to create rules that consider providing them with enough sleep. The affidavit states that the limits are not absolute and that the ordinance allows for late passes to be issued by the relevant parties.
It was also of the opinion that maintaining order in a hostel was crucial to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the students who resided there, and that’s why there are rules in place.
As a result, it has stated in its testimony that “opening up the gates of hostels without any regulation, if the same is done without a proper scientific investigation, would be damaging to the public at large.”
In their declaration, the university also stated that the age of adolescence was “too hazardous to be managed” and that the petitioners’ demand for complete freedom—which they might not even receive at their homes—was not justified.
The “need to enforce discipline in the dormitory and the requirements of the students” should be balanced, it pleaded with the court.
Unlike campuses of other educational institutions, premises of medical college always exposed to the public as it receives hundreds of visitors every day
The university further said that unlike campuses of business or engineering schools, which could be adequately secured, a medical college site is always exposed to the public and receives hundreds of visitors each day.
The fact that many medical college campuses have bus services running through them with multiple bus stops inside the campus is another truth. Campuses are surrounded by public roadways, and the only way to secure and safeguard the hostels is to surround the hostel buildings with a compound wall, the organisation claimed in its declaration.
Additionally, neither the court nor the petitioners can turn a blind eye to the criminal activity and evil deeds in society. The institution has also argued that the petitioner students do not adequately reflect the interests of all of the detainees because they represent a very small portion of the total population.
Furthermore, it has been suggested that hostels would be failing in their obligations if they failed to uphold the rules that may have persuaded parents to place their wards there.
“There is not a single unfair or gender-discriminatory restriction in the rules governing dormitory administration. None of them transgress any fundamental freedoms granted to the petitioners as well. The established rules are essential for the efficient operation of the hostels and to maintain order there.
“Overall, this respondent (university) has not seen any instances where a complaint has been received to the effect that the regulations governing the hostels have placed any student in a challenging situation as far as his or her academics are concerned.” According to the affidavit, the university.
The petitioners contested a 2019 government directive that limited hostel residents’ freedom of movement after 9.30 PM on the grounds that it only applied to their hostel and not the men’s.
The court had questioned why a curfew of 9.30 PM had been set for women in the medical college’s dorms and why only ladies or girls needed monitoring while boys or men did not.
Let us not fear the night, it had added. Girls should be given the same freedom as boys. In addition, the court had ruled that rather than locking up girls and women, the State and public agencies should work to develop their capacity for self-care. PTI SS SS HMP/COR HMP SS.
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