Burla/Sambalpur: In a move to ensure uniformity and safety of students on campus, Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT) Burla in Odisha's Sambalpur district has issued a dress code for new college entrants. The specific clothing guidelines will come into effect from the current academic year 2025-2026 and was announced in a notification by the University on Wednesday. While the uniform will be mandatory for BTech first year students enrolling from this session, postgraduates and research scholars will be exempt from the rules.

The letter, dated 13.08.2025, stated that all first-year students (except PG and PhD) will have to adhere to the mandatory dress code rules. While female students will wear salwar kameez along with a jacket in lieu of dupatta, uniform for their male counterparts will be formal shirt and trousers.

"All the 1 year students (except P.G. and Ph.D.) who have taken admission in the academic year 2025-26 are hereby informed that a uniform dress code is introduced in the University. The uniform is formal pant and shirt" for boys; and either formal pant and shirt" or "shalwar-kameez with waistcoat" for girls. No dupatta is permitted due to safety reasons. The material for the pant and waistcoat are similar. The students are advised to comply with the above-mentioned dress code by end August," the notice read. 

It further stated that the colour of pants, salwar and waistcoat would be navy blue and the colour of the shirt sky blue. The letter, which had images of fabric swatches to avoid any confusion over the dress code, also mandated that the shades should exactly or very closely match with the colours of the sample clothes displayed on the University office notice board. 

Earlier, the premiere educational institution had no clothing norms in place. Students were allowed to wear attires of their choice. The introduction of the dress code is believed to be an effort towards fostering a sense of community and decorum among students, erasing disparities and advocating professionalism on campus.